Flint Parallels - ZIPs Exceeding EPA Lead Action Level
288 U.S. ZIP codes have lead levels exceeding the EPA action level of 15 ppb - the same threshold that triggered the Flint, MI water crisis. 2580 total ZIPs flagged.
Last updated: 2026-08-17
Flint Parallels Tracker
During the Flint water crisis (2014–2019), lead levels reached 13,200 ppb at peak, with the citywide 90th-percentile exceeding the EPA action level of 15 ppb. Today, 288 ZIP codes across the U.S. report lead levels above that same threshold.
Total qualifying ZIPs: 2580 (lead > 15 ppb OR 4+ health violations)
Top 20 by Severity
| Rank | ZIP | City, State | Lead (ppb) | Population | Health Viol. | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 78132 | New Braunfels, TX | 4 | 2,959,870 | 63 | 355,924,368 |
| 2 | 77357 | New Caney, TX | 12 | 3,159,608 | 15 | 322,280,016 |
| 3 | 78266 | San Antonio, TX | 4 | 2,840,129 | 58 | 315,254,319 |
| 4 | 72921 | Alma, AR | 370 | 120,979 | 8 | 223,811,150 |
| 5 | 45424 | Dayton, OH | 470 | 452,706 | 0 | 212,771,820 |
| 6 | 77070 | Houston, TX | 44 | 3,073,164 | 1 | 201,906,875 |
| 7 | 45417 | Dayton, OH | 470 | 388,460 | 0 | 182,576,200 |
| 8 | 45414 | Dayton, OH | 470 | 381,647 | 0 | 179,374,090 |
| 9 | 45404 | Dayton, OH | 470 | 374,647 | 0 | 176,084,090 |
| 10 | 45309 | Brookville, OH | 470 | 233,164 | 1 | 164,380,620 |
| 11 | 45431 | Dayton, OH | 470 | 333,509 | 0 | 156,749,230 |
| 12 | 45432 | Dayton, OH | 470 | 333,509 | 0 | 156,749,230 |
| 13 | 17545 | Manheim, PA | 200 | 246,356 | 4 | 147,444,066 |
| 14 | 94501 | Alameda, CA | 100 | 1,448,064 | 0 | 144,806,400 |
| 15 | 45409 | Dayton, OH | 470 | 301,186 | 0 | 141,557,420 |
| 16 | 45419 | Dayton, OH | 470 | 301,186 | 0 | 141,557,420 |
| 17 | 45324 | Fairborn, OH | 470 | 295,112 | 0 | 138,702,640 |
| 18 | 73036 | El Reno, OK | 7 | 687,101 | 59 | 138,313,431 |
| 19 | 45403 | Dayton, OH | 470 | 291,614 | 0 | 137,058,580 |
| 20 | 45410 | Dayton, OH | 470 | 291,614 | 0 | 137,058,580 |
How to Read This Data
- Lead (ppb): 90th-percentile lead level from the most recent sampling period. The EPA action level is 15 ppb.
- Severity Score:
lead_ppb × population × (1 + health_violations × 0.5)- higher means more people at greater risk. - Health Violations: Count of health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record.
The Flint crisis peaked at 13,200 ppb. While no ZIP on this list approaches that extreme, every ZIP listed here exceeds the same regulatory threshold that eventually forced Flint's emergency response.
Auto-generated on 2026-08-17 from EPA SDWIS data. Full dataset.