Gerrardstown, WV: 17 Violations - Home Safety 58/100
1 ZIP code · 3 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Gerrardstown: C.
A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.
Gerrardstown lands near the WV median for water safety - compliance results are mixed, and the city's middle-grade standing reflects genuine variability across service areas rather than one problem driving the whole picture.
How Gerrardstown Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Gerrardstown Water
- Your city's water systems recorded 17 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.003 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 48% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,700 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 14.48 - above typical levels.
Who Supplies Your Water in Gerrardstown
Throughout Gerrardstown, WV, water comes from one of 3 primary utilities out of 3 total systems - independent providers with different rate structures, infrastructure, and compliance records that vary across the service territory.
- C
- C
- C
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Gerrardstown, West Virginia (population ~5,086), covering 3 community water systems serving approximately 70,693 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 1 of 1 ZIP codes.
1 of 1 ZIP code with a reported violation count in the available EPA record (100%) have recorded EPA violations. The available record reports no health-based violations for this measured scope.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Gerrardstown: C (58/100)
Model 4.0.0 uses four measured components across three equally weighted domains. If a required domain is unavailable, no score is published:
| Factor | What It Measures |
|---|---|
| Water Quality | EPA violations and compliance history |
| PFAS MCL Screen | UCMR 5 testing against the covered federal MCLs |
| Radon Risk | EPA radon zone classification |
| Annual AQI | EPA AirData county-year median with at least 90 observed days |
Water Sources
Gerrardstown water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0030 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 1 ZIP code with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 1 (High Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment Technique | 12 | 1 |
| Contaminant 0700 | Other | 8 | 1 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Technique | 6 | 1 |
| Contaminant 2040 | Other | 2 | 1 |
| Contaminant 2383 | Other | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25420 | C | 17 | 0 | Berkeley County Pswd-potomac River |
All ZIP Codes in Gerrardstown
- 25420 [C] - 17 violations
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- Lead/copper: EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data
- Radon: EPA Map of Radon Zones
Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.
Health Outcomes in Gerrardstown
Source: CDC PLACES (County-level estimates). Water contamination can correlate with respiratory and chronic health conditions.
Compared to National Average
Vertical line = national average. ■ Above national · ■ Below national
Top Contaminants in Gerrardstown Water
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Housing & Infrastructure in Gerrardstown
With 48% of homes built before 1986, lead solder in plumbing is a potential concern. The EPA banned lead solder in 1986, but many older homes retain original plumbing.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).
Housing Age Profile
When trying to understand water quality at the household level, the year a home was built often matters more than any city-wide water report. That's because the 1986 federal ban on lead solder in plumbing, and the earlier phase-out of lead pipes before 1970, created sharp discontinuities in residential plumbing risk by construction era. Gerrardstown's median build year of 1983 puts the city in the transition zone: a substantial share of the housing stock postdates the solder ban, but a comparable fraction predates it - with the oldest homes carrying both the solder risk and the pipe risk simultaneously. Whether any individual household sits on the safer or riskier side of these thresholds is the key question, and it's one the city-wide median alone can't answer.
Most homes in Gerrardstown were built after 1986, reducing the risk of lead contamination from plumbing. Older homes should still be tested.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034.
Cost Context: What Remediation Means for Gerrardstown Homeowners
While no remediation project is entirely without cost, the relationship between estimated remediation and property values in Gerrardstown is notably favorable - the equity share is small enough that the household financial perspective is one of proportionality rather than pressure, and most homeowners can treat it as routine planning rather than a significant financial event.
Remediation costs in Gerrardstown are relatively low compared to home values. The $1,100–$2,300 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 106% above the West Virginia average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Gerrardstown
Why children are most at risk: The CDC states there is no safe level of lead exposure for children. Children under 6 absorb lead more readily than adults, and even low levels can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral problems.
48% - that captures the slice of Gerrardstown housing dating from before the federal ban on solder containing lead. It pairs with aggregate utility readings that either approach or cross 0.015 mg/L, the benchmark set under the EPA Lead and Copper Rule. Together, the two figures shift one-home reads into a standard household-level confirmation, particularly for families with kids. A certified lead-removal filter is available through retailer-verified channels if a kit returns results that warrant additional measures.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
What You Can Do in Gerrardstown
- Test your water at home. City-level data shows averages - your tap may differ. NSF-certified test kits cost $20-40 and give results in days.
- Install a certified water filter. Filters rated for Surface Water Treatment Rule can reduce the most common contaminant found in Gerrardstown's water.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 48% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Gerrardstown, WV