Parkersburg, WV: 5 Health Violations - Home Safety 54/100
5 ZIP codes · 7 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Parkersburg: D.
Several federal signals point to home-safety risks in this ZIP.
Your top priority: consider a certified water filter (5 health violations on record). NSF certified filters →
Parkersburg ranks below average for tap water safety in WV - health-based violations are documented across multiple service areas in recent EPA monitoring data.
How Parkersburg Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Key Facts for Parkersburg Residents
- Your city's water systems recorded 34 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0046 mg/L.
- Estimated remediation: $2,260 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 16.75 - above typical levels.
Parkersburg's Water Providers
Parkersburg, WV is covered by 3 major water utilities out of 7 federally tracked systems, each managing its own pipes, treatment processes, and EPA filings. What a household gets from the tap depends on which provider's system serves that address.
- C
- C
- D
Overview
We track home safety data for 5 ZIP codes in Parkersburg, West Virginia (population ~45,300), covering 7 community water systems serving approximately 81,808 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 2 of 5 ZIP codes.
2 of 2 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record (100%) have recorded EPA violations. 5 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Parkersburg: D (54/100)
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
Parkersburg water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0046 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 2 ZIP codes with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 2 (Moderate Risk)
- Zone 1 (High): 0 ZIP codes
- Zone 2 (Moderate): 5 ZIP codes
- Zone 3 (Low): 0 ZIP codes
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 23 | 2 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Technique | 17 | 2 |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 10 | 2 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 9 | 2 |
| Contaminant 0700 | Other | 6 | 2 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26101 | D | 29 | 5 | Parkersburg Utility Board |
| 26104 | C | 24 | 2 | Parkersburg Utility Board |
All ZIP Codes in Parkersburg
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.
Parkersburg Community Health Snapshot
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
What's in Parkersburg's Water?
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
How Remediation Costs Compare in Parkersburg
The cost-to-value ratio in Parkersburg is in the moderate range - neither dismissible nor alarming, but above the threshold where remediation can be treated as incidental. Most homeowners here are weighing a real equity commitment, and the moderate classification reflects that accurately.
Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Parkersburg. The estimated $1,190–$3,640 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 23% above the West Virginia average.
Parkersburg: Lead Risk & Vulnerable Populations
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.
Lead risk in Parkersburg appears low overall, but individual homes may differ. Testing is the only way to confirm your water's lead content.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Parkersburg: NFIP Claim Records and Water-Quality Context
Historical NFIP data for Parkersburg contains 571 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $18,504. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 100% have an A- or V-family dominant rated zone recorded in those historical claims. This is not a complete current FEMA property-map inventory.
How flooding affects water quality: Flood events can introduce sewage, agricultural runoff, and industrial chemicals into water supplies. Even after floodwaters recede, contamination can persist in wells and aging infrastructure. The <strong>$2,260</strong> remediation estimate shown here excludes flood insurance and is not derived from NFIP claim count.
Claim count does not establish current property risk. Check the exact address in FEMA's current map and obtain a property-specific insurance quote when relevant.
Source: historical FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claim records. No current FEMA property-map designation is asserted.
What You Can Do in Parkersburg
- 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 Stage 1 DBP Rule can reduce the most common contaminant found in Parkersburg's water.
- Check your home's plumbing. Homes built before 1986 may have lead solder in pipes. A licensed plumber can assess your risk.
- Review your water system's CCR. Your utility publishes an annual Consumer Confidence Report with detailed test results. Request it or find it online.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Parkersburg, WV