Worst Water Infrastructure in America

Out of 39,987 ZIP codes with infrastructure data nationally, these areas face the highest estimated risk of water pipe failure based on infrastructure age, funding gaps, and violation history.

Statistic	Value
ZIP codes ranked	39,987
Highest risk	90%
Median risk	41%
Average risk	41%

Top 100 Highest Risk ZIP Codes

Rank	ZIP Code	City	State	Pipe Failure Risk	Risk Level	Safety Score
1	98364	Port Gamble	WA	90%	Very High	73/100
2	25855	Hilltop	WV	88%	Very High	63/100
3	25936	Thurmond	WV	88%	Very High	63/100
4	98278	Oak Harbor	WA	87%	Very High	71/100
5	25119	Kincaid	WV	86%	Very High	63/100
6	26366	Haywood	WV	84%	Very High	63/100
7	26544	Pentress	WV	84%	Very High	53/100
8	25115	Kanawha Falls	WV	82%	Very High	63/100
9	20317	Washington	DC	81%	Very High	69/100
10	25410	Bakerton	WV	81%	Very High	45/100
11	25441	Rippon	WV	81%	Very High	40/100
12	26560	Baxter	WV	81%	Very High	63/100
13	25810	Allen Junction	WV	80%	Very High	73/100
14	25826	Corinne	WV	80%	Very High	65/100
15	25853	Helen	WV	80%	Very High	63/100
16	26404	Meadowbrook	WV	80%	Very High	55/100
17	25908	Princewick	WV	79%	Very High	40/100
18	25911	Raleigh	WV	79%	Very High	63/100
19	26435	Simpson	WV	79%	Very High	63/100
20	26438	Spelter	WV	79%	Very High	63/100
21	25040	Charlton Heights	WV	78%	Very High	63/100
22	25090	Glen Ferris	WV	78%	Very High	63/100
23	25204	Twilight	WV	78%	Very High	63/100
24	26543	Osage	WV	77%	Very High	45/100
25	10503	Ardsley On Hudson	NY	76%	Very High	40/100
26	12202	Albany	NY	76%	Very High	31/100
27	12209	Albany	NY	76%	Very High	31/100
28	12504	Annandale On Hudson	NY	76%	Very High	40/100
29	13154	South Butler	NY	76%	Very High	53/100
30	13352	Hinckley	NY	76%	Very High	63/100
31	13484	West Eaton	NY	76%	Very High	40/100
32	14035	Collins Center	NY	76%	Very High	53/100
33	14529	Perkinsville	NY	76%	Very High	40/100
34	17039	Kleinfeltersville	PA	76%	Very High	40/100
35	25567	Sumerco	WV	76%	Very High	53/100
36	25958	Charmco	WV	76%	Very High	55/100
37	29338	Fingerville	SC	76%	Very High	53/100
38	69331	Angora	NE	76%	Very High	53/100
39	12206	Albany	NY	75%	Very High	19/100
40	12210	Albany	NY	75%	Very High	31/100
41	25002	Alloy	WV	75%	Very High	53/100
42	25031	Boomer	WV	75%	Very High	63/100
43	25149	Ottawa	WV	75%	Very High	73/100
44	26236	Selbyville	WV	75%	Very High	53/100
45	26289	Red Creek	WV	75%	Very High	63/100
46	26361	Gypsy	WV	75%	Very High	53/100
47	26561	Big Run	WV	75%	Very High	40/100
48	98830	Mansfield	WA	75%	Very High	63/100
49	01242	Lenox Dale	MA	75%	Very High	63/100
50	11204	Brooklyn	NY	74%	Very High	62/100
51	11209	Brooklyn	NY	74%	Very High	57/100
52	11215	Brooklyn	NY	74%	Very High	57/100
53	11220	Brooklyn	NY	74%	Very High	62/100
54	11225	Brooklyn	NY	74%	Very High	67/100
55	11226	Brooklyn	NY	74%	Very High	62/100
56	11228	Brooklyn	NY	74%	Very High	57/100
57	15447	Isabella	PA	74%	Very High	53/100
58	15450	La Belle	PA	74%	Very High	53/100
59	19083	Havertown	PA	74%	Very High	10/100
60	20015	Washington	DC	74%	Very High	67/100
61	25185	Mount Olive	WV	74%	Very High	53/100
62	25186	Smithers	WV	74%	Very High	63/100
63	26120	Mineral Wells	WV	74%	Very High	79/100
64	26121	Mineral Wells	WV	74%	Very High	79/100
65	26436	Smithburg	WV	74%	Very High	55/100
66	39210	Jackson	MS	74%	Very High	66/100
67	43735	East Fultonham	OH	74%	Very High	40/100
68	50531	Dolliver	IA	74%	Very High	70/100
69	50539	Fenton	IA	74%	Very High	36/100
70	52225	Elberon	IA	74%	Very High	47/100
71	98539	Doty	WA	74%	Very High	66/100
72	99677	Tatitlek	AK	74%	Very High	22/100
73	05670	South Barre	VT	74%	Very High	53/100
74	11210	Brooklyn	NY	73%	Very High	62/100
75	11213	Brooklyn	NY	73%	Very High	67/100
76	12010	Amsterdam	NY	73%	Very High	30/100
77	13115	Minetto	NY	73%	Very High	40/100
78	13457	Schuyler Lake	NY	73%	Very High	40/100
79	13611	Belleville	NY	73%	Very High	63/100
80	13692	Thousand Island Park	NY	73%	Very High	53/100
81	14303	Niagara Falls	NY	73%	Very High	76/100
82	15420	Cardale	PA	73%	Very High	53/100
83	15429	Denbo	PA	73%	Very High	63/100
84	25026	Blue Creek	WV	73%	Very High	66/100
85	25079	Falling Rock	WV	73%	Very High	65/100
86	25423	Halltown	WV	73%	Very High	40/100
87	25440	Ridgeway	WV	73%	Very High	40/100
88	25639	Peach Creek	WV	73%	Very High	73/100
89	25665	Borderland	WV	73%	Very High	65/100
90	25871	Mabscott	WV	73%	Very High	50/100
91	25932	Surveyor	WV	73%	Very High	53/100
92	25972	Leslie	WV	73%	Very High	53/100
93	26148	Macfarlan	WV	73%	Very High	63/100
94	26302	Clarksburg	WV	73%	Very High	70/100
95	26306	Clarksburg	WV	73%	Very High	73/100
96	26461	Clarksburg	WV	73%	Very High	75/100
97	46155	Mays	IN	73%	Very High	40/100
98	50430	Corwith	IA	73%	Very High	66/100
99	58074	Wahpeton	ND	73%	Very High	66/100
100	61484	Vermont	IL	73%	Very High	13/100

Rankings by State

State	ZIP Codes Ranked
Texas	2,617
California	2,432
Pennsylvania	2,152
New York	2,124
Illinois	1,563
Florida	1,426
Ohio	1,419
Michigan	1,141
Missouri	1,134
Virginia	1,106
North Carolina	1,054
Iowa	997
Minnesota	957
Indiana	955
Georgia	909
Wisconsin	863
West Virginia	844
Kentucky	839
Alabama	801
Oklahoma	770
Kansas	737
Tennessee	729
New Jersey	717
Washington	704
Louisiana	686
Massachusetts	673
Arkansas	658
Colorado	646
Nebraska	615
Maryland	565
Arizona	552
Mississippi	517
South Carolina	494
Oregon	482
Maine	472
New Mexico	427
Connecticut	424
Montana	402
North Dakota	392
South Dakota	389
Utah	345
Idaho	322
Vermont	302
District of Columbia	286
Alaska	272
New Hampshire	267
Nevada	247
Wyoming	195
Hawaii	125
Rhode Island	89
Delaware	84

Rankings by Metro Area

Metro Area	Link
New York	View Rankings
Los Angeles	View Rankings
Chicago	View Rankings
Dallas-Fort Worth	View Rankings
Houston	View Rankings
Washington DC	View Rankings
Philadelphia	View Rankings
Miami	View Rankings
Atlanta	View Rankings
Boston	View Rankings
Phoenix	View Rankings
San Francisco	View Rankings
Riverside	View Rankings
Detroit	View Rankings
Seattle	View Rankings
Minneapolis	View Rankings
San Diego	View Rankings
Tampa	View Rankings
Denver	View Rankings
Baltimore	View Rankings
Orlando	View Rankings
Charlotte	View Rankings
San Antonio	View Rankings
Portland	View Rankings

Methodology

Infrastructure risk rankings combine four data sources, each weighted equally (25%): (1) EPA Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey (DWINS 2023) — state-level 20-year funding gap per capita for pipe replacement, treatment, and storage; (2) Census ACS housing vintage — percentage of homes built before 1980, when lead solder and galvanized pipes were common; (3) EPA SDWIS violation and enforcement data — system-level compliance history; (4) Lead and Copper Rule indicators — service line material inventories and 90th percentile lead testing results. The combined score is normalized to a 0-100% probability scale.

Data sources: EPA DWINS 2023, Census ACS, EPA SDWIS, Lead and Copper Rule data. Last updated: 2026-07-17.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does pipe failure probability mean?

Pipe failure probability estimates the likelihood of water main breaks, lead contamination from corroded pipes, or service disruptions based on infrastructure age, state funding gaps, violation history, and lead indicators. It is not a prediction of imminent failure, but a risk assessment based on known factors.

How is infrastructure risk calculated?

The risk score combines four equally weighted factors: state-level infrastructure funding gap per capita (from EPA DWINS 2023), housing vintage (Census ACS pre-1980 housing percentage), water system violation and enforcement history (EPA SDWIS), and lead exposure indicators (service line probability and testing results).

What can homeowners do about aging infrastructure?

Test your tap water annually, especially for lead. Check if your home has a lead service line through your water utility. Consider a whole-house water filter (NSF/ANSI 53 certified). Review your water system Consumer Confidence Report for violation history.

Does high risk mean my water is unsafe right now?

Not necessarily. Infrastructure risk indicates long-term vulnerability, not current contamination. However, areas with aging pipes and high violation counts have a statistically higher chance of water quality issues. Regular testing is the best way to verify your water safety.

Worst Water Infrastructure in America — 2026 Rankings