State of US Water — April 2026
April 2026 Snapshot
ZipCheckup monitors water quality, infrastructure, and home safety data for 42,675 ZIP codes across all 50 states. This monthly digest summarizes key trends.
Key Metrics
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| ZIP Codes Monitored | 42,675 |
| Water Systems Tracked | 23,703 |
| Active Boil Water Advisories | 5169 |
| Recent EPA Enforcement Actions | 0 (this month) |
| Community Confirmed ZIPs | 13952 |
| National Average Safety Score | 67/100 |
Compound Risk Distribution
ZipCheckup's Compound Home Risk Portfolio estimates additional annual costs above the US median baseline:
| Risk Tier | ZIP Codes | Est. Annual Extra Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Critical | 1158 | $5,000+ |
| Very High | 4458 | $3,000 – $5,000 |
| High | 10050 | $1,500 – $3,000 |
| Moderate | 17159 | $500 – $1,500 |
| Low | 6820 | $100 – $500 |
| Minimal | 3030 | < $100 |
Community Reports
Community-reported water issues continue to be a leading indicator of officially-confirmed problems. This month:
- 13952 ZIP codes have both community complaints AND EPA enforcement — "Community Confirmed" status
- 421 ZIP codes have community complaints without matching enforcement — potential early warnings
- 10801 ZIP codes meet the threshold for Community Confirmed badges
What to Watch
- Infrastructure aging — 1158 ZIP codes remain in the "critical" compound risk tier, facing $5,000+ in estimated additional annual costs
- EPA enforcement trends — 0 new enforcement actions this month signal continued regulatory pressure
- Community signals — 421 ZIP codes with community complaints but no official enforcement deserve monitoring
Data sources: EPA SDWIS, EPA ECHO, FEMA NFIP, PHMSA, NHTSA FARS, Census ACS, EIA, CDC, USGS, NRC, FAA. Updated monthly.