Worst Water Infrastructure in America

Out of 38,487 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	38,487
Highest risk	81%
Median risk	37%
Average risk	38%

Top 100 Highest Risk ZIP Codes

Rank	ZIP Code	City	State	Pipe Failure Risk	Risk Level	Safety Score
1	20317	Washington	DC	81%	Very High	69/100
2	12202	Albany	NY	76%	Very High	31/100
3	12209	Albany	NY	76%	Very High	31/100
4	12206	Albany	NY	75%	Very High	19/100
5	12210	Albany	NY	75%	Very High	31/100
6	11204	Brooklyn	NY	74%	Very High	62/100
7	11209	Brooklyn	NY	74%	Very High	57/100
8	11215	Brooklyn	NY	74%	Very High	57/100
9	11220	Brooklyn	NY	74%	Very High	62/100
10	11225	Brooklyn	NY	74%	Very High	67/100
11	11226	Brooklyn	NY	74%	Very High	62/100
12	11228	Brooklyn	NY	74%	Very High	57/100
13	19083	Havertown	PA	74%	Very High	10/100
14	20015	Washington	DC	74%	Very High	67/100
15	39210	Jackson	MS	74%	Very High	66/100
16	99677	Tatitlek	AK	74%	Very High	22/100
17	11210	Brooklyn	NY	73%	Very High	62/100
18	11213	Brooklyn	NY	73%	Very High	67/100
19	12010	Amsterdam	NY	73%	Very High	30/100
20	11203	Brooklyn	NY	72%	Very High	62/100
21	11216	Brooklyn	NY	72%	Very High	67/100
22	11223	Brooklyn	NY	72%	Very High	57/100
23	11229	Brooklyn	NY	72%	Very High	52/100
24	11230	Brooklyn	NY	72%	Very High	62/100
25	13138	Pompey	NY	72%	Very High	54/100
26	13208	Syracuse	NY	72%	Very High	43/100
27	20007	Washington	DC	72%	Very High	62/100
28	20010	Washington	DC	72%	Very High	67/100
29	20011	Washington	DC	72%	Very High	67/100
30	20012	Washington	DC	72%	Very High	67/100
31	25115	Kanawha Falls	WV	72%	Very High	63/100
32	25810	Allen Junction	WV	72%	Very High	73/100
33	25826	Corinne	WV	72%	Very High	65/100
34	25853	Helen	WV	72%	Very High	63/100
35	26236	Selbyville	WV	72%	Very High	53/100
36	26366	Haywood	WV	72%	Very High	63/100
37	26435	Simpson	WV	72%	Very High	63/100
38	26438	Spelter	WV	72%	Very High	63/100
39	26543	Osage	WV	72%	Very High	45/100
40	26560	Baxter	WV	72%	Very High	63/100
41	61484	Vermont	IL	72%	Very High	13/100
42	99643	Old Harbor	AK	72%	Very High	43/100
43	99901	Ketchikan	AK	72%	Very High	65/100
44	11214	Brooklyn	NY	71%	Very High	57/100
45	11218	Brooklyn	NY	71%	Very High	62/100
46	11219	Brooklyn	NY	71%	Very High	57/100
47	11231	Brooklyn	NY	71%	Very High	52/100
48	11232	Brooklyn	NY	71%	Very High	57/100
49	11237	Brooklyn	NY	71%	Very High	62/100
50	12208	Albany	NY	71%	Very High	26/100
51	13204	Syracuse	NY	71%	Very High	38/100
52	13207	Syracuse	NY	71%	Very High	43/100
53	20008	Washington	DC	71%	Very High	67/100
54	20009	Washington	DC	71%	Very High	67/100
55	20016	Washington	DC	71%	Very High	67/100
56	66963	Randall	KS	71%	Very High	33/100
57	02133	Boston	MA	71%	Very High	92/100
58	11233	Brooklyn	NY	70%	Very High	62/100
59	11234	Brooklyn	NY	70%	Very High	52/100
60	12203	Albany	NY	70%	Very High	26/100
61	12222	Albany	NY	70%	Very High	19/100
62	20017	Washington	DC	70%	Very High	67/100
63	26750	Piedmont	WV	70%	Very High	38/100
64	67066	Iuka	KS	70%	Very High	33/100
65	98238	Conway	WA	70%	Very High	73/100
66	98364	Port Gamble	WA	70%	Very High	73/100
67	99752	Kotzebue	AK	70%	Very High	59/100
68	11221	Brooklyn	NY	69%	Very High	67/100
69	11222	Brooklyn	NY	69%	Very High	57/100
70	11236	Brooklyn	NY	69%	Very High	52/100
71	11238	Brooklyn	NY	69%	Very High	62/100
72	13203	Syracuse	NY	69%	Very High	43/100
73	13205	Syracuse	NY	69%	Very High	43/100
74	13206	Syracuse	NY	69%	Very High	38/100
75	13350	Herkimer	NY	69%	Very High	40/100
76	20018	Washington	DC	69%	Very High	67/100
77	26404	Meadowbrook	WV	69%	Very High	55/100
78	51451	Lanesboro	IA	69%	Very High	50/100
79	99684	Unalakleet	AK	69%	Very High	36/100
80	99736	Deering	AK	69%	Very High	66/100
81	99820	Angoon	AK	69%	Very High	69/100
82	10033	New York	NY	68%	Very High	68/100
83	11207	Brooklyn	NY	68%	Very High	62/100
84	11208	Brooklyn	NY	68%	Very High	62/100
85	11212	Brooklyn	NY	68%	Very High	67/100
86	11217	Brooklyn	NY	68%	Very High	62/100
87	11235	Brooklyn	NY	68%	Very High	47/100
88	12204	Albany	NY	68%	Very High	31/100
89	12205	Albany	NY	68%	Very High	26/100
90	12207	Albany	NY	68%	Very High	26/100
91	13211	Syracuse	NY	68%	Very High	43/100
92	13224	Syracuse	NY	68%	Very High	38/100
93	15544	Gray	PA	68%	Very High	40/100
94	15960	Twin Rocks	PA	68%	Very High	49/100
95	19375	Unionville	PA	68%	Very High	50/100
96	20006	Washington	DC	68%	Very High	72/100
97	20036	Washington	DC	68%	Very High	72/100
98	25090	Glen Ferris	WV	68%	Very High	63/100
99	25855	Hilltop	WV	68%	Very High	63/100
100	25936	Thurmond	WV	68%	Very High	63/100

Rankings by State

State	ZIP Codes Ranked
Texas	2,545
California	2,335
New York	2,050
Pennsylvania	1,998
Illinois	1,538
Florida	1,368
Ohio	1,363
Michigan	1,109
Missouri	1,086
Virginia	1,022
North Carolina	1,016
Iowa	995
Minnesota	923
Indiana	920
Georgia	874
Wisconsin	840
West Virginia	813
Kentucky	790
Alabama	765
Oklahoma	756
Kansas	725
Tennessee	699
Washington	688
New Jersey	653
Arkansas	644
Louisiana	640
Colorado	635
Massachusetts	630
Nebraska	613
Arizona	547
Maryland	512
Mississippi	484
South Carolina	482
Oregon	469
Maine	441
New Mexico	417
Montana	399
Connecticut	393
South Dakota	389
North Dakota	389
Utah	340
Idaho	316
Vermont	280
District of Columbia	275
Alaska	270
New Hampshire	262
Nevada	243
Wyoming	186
Hawaii	120
Rhode Island	87
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: 2026-06-03.

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