Health Concerns Found SCHOOL DISTRICT

Harlan County School District (KY): 18 Health Violations

27 ZIP codes · 17 water systems · 47,283 people served

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA drinking-water data for Harlan County School District: 19 unresolved violations in the water systems serving this district.

Data: ZipCheckup Home Safety Score model 4.0.0, EPA SDWIS and UCMR 5, EPA radon zones, EPA AirData, NCES

N/A
Avg Safety Score (0 ZIP)
27
ZIP Codes
17
Water Systems
230
Violations (5yr) (21 ZIP)
0.0009 mg/L
Avg Lead Level
Zone 2
Radon Risk (27 ZIP)

Why School Water Quality Matters

Children drink 2–4× more water per pound of body weight than adults, making them more vulnerable to contaminants. School water quality affects students for hours every weekday.

Home Safety and Water Evidence Overview

The Harlan County School District in Kentucky spans 27 ZIP codes. This materialization has canonical Home Safety Scores for 0 ZIP records and typed EPA water violation counts for 21 ZIP records. Missing evidence is not treated as zero.

The deduplicated primary-system served-population sum is 47,283 across 11 water systems. This is not the district resident population.

Water quality in this district falls in the bottom 67% nationally.

Why This Matters for Children

Children are more vulnerable to water contaminants than adults. The EPA and CDC identify these key risks:

  • Lead exposure - Even low levels of lead can affect brain development, reduce IQ, and cause behavioral problems in children. There is no safe level of lead for children.
  • PFAS ("forever chemicals") - Linked to immune system effects and developmental delays in children. Children drink more water relative to body weight than adults.
  • Nitrate - Dangerous for infants (can cause "blue baby syndrome"). Agricultural areas often have elevated nitrate.
  • Disinfection byproducts - Long-term exposure may increase cancer risk. School water fountains often have stagnant water that concentrates these compounds.

Lead Levels in the District

Metric Value EPA Threshold
Average lead level (90th percentile) 0.0009 mg/L 0.015 mg/L
Highest lead level 0.005 mg/L 0.015 mg/L
ZIP records exceeding EPA action level 0 of 21 with known status -

EPA Violation History

18 health-based violations recorded across 21 ZIP records with known health counts in the past 5 years. 20 of 21 ZIP records with known total counts have at least one violation. 19 violations remain unresolved.

Contaminants of Concern

Contaminant Category Violations Health-Based ZIPs Affected
Surface Water Treatment Rule Treatment Technique 74 No 19
Consumer Confidence Report Rule Reporting 49 No 15
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) Disinfection Byproducts 25 No 11
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Disinfection Byproducts 25 No 11
Stage 2 DBP Rule Treatment Technique 14 Yes 6
Fecal Coliform Microbiological 12 Yes 6
Lead and Copper Rule Treatment Technique 10 No 2
Contaminant 0800 Other 8 No 8

Radon Risk

Dominant radon zone: Zone 2 (Moderate risk)

Water Facts and Home Safety Score by ZIP Code

ZIP Code City Home Safety Score EPA Violations Health Lead Level Exceeds?
40831 Harlan N/A 32 3 0 mg/L No
40806 Baxter N/A 23 0 0 mg/L No
40823 Cumberland N/A 22 2 0.002 mg/L No
40855 Lynch N/A 22 2 0.002 mg/L No
40873 Wallins Creek N/A 22 0 0 mg/L No
40828 Evarts N/A 21 2 0.002 mg/L No
40854 Loyall N/A 17 0 0 mg/L No
40819 Coldiron N/A 10 0 0 mg/L No
40824 Dayhoit N/A 10 0 0 mg/L No
40843 Holmes Mill N/A 10 2 0.002 mg/L No
40927 Closplint N/A 10 2 0.002 mg/L No
40870 Totz N/A 7 0 0 mg/L No
40865 Putney N/A 6 0 0 mg/L No
40810 Bledsoe N/A 4 0 0.004 mg/L No
40815 Cawood N/A 3 1 0 mg/L No
40820 Cranks N/A 3 1 0 mg/L No
40863 Pathfork N/A 3 1 0 mg/L No
40818 Coalgood N/A 2 1 0 mg/L No
40829 Grays Knob N/A 2 1 0 mg/L No
40988 Stoney Fork N/A 1 0 0.005 mg/L No
40808 Big Laurel N/A 0 0 0 mg/L No
40801 Ages Brookside N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
40807 Benham N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
40830 Gulston N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
40847 Kenvir N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
40849 Lejunior N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
40964 Mary Alice N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

What Parents Can Do

  1. Request lead testing at your child's school - The EPA's 3Ts program (Training, Testing, Taking Action) provides guidance for schools. Ask your school board about their water testing schedule.
  2. Review the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) - Your water utility publishes this annually. It details all detected contaminants.
  3. Test your home's water - Especially if your home has older plumbing (pre-1986) that may contain lead solder or lead pipes.
  4. Pack water from home - If you're concerned about school water quality, send your child with a water bottle filled at home (filtered if possible).
  5. Stay informed - Bookmark this page to check for updates on water quality in your school district.

Need help with school water quality?

Typical cost: Water test: typically $20–$50 (DIY kit) · Professional inspection: $150–$400

Find the Right Water Filter

Free tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking — this helps flush lead from your pipes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the water safe in Harlan County School District schools?

EPA system-level records associated with Harlan County School District show 18 health-based violations across 21 ZIP records with known health counts. These records do not measure individual school taps. Parents should request current building-level testing results from the school district.

Does Harlan County School District test for lead in school water?

Federal law does not require schools to test for lead in drinking water (except in some states with specific mandates). The EPA's voluntary 3Ts program encourages testing. Contact your school district office to ask about their testing schedule and results.

What level of lead is safe for children?

There is no safe level of lead for children, according to the CDC. The EPA action level of 0.015 mg/L (15 ppb) triggers corrective action for water systems, but the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that school water contain no more than 0.001 mg/L (1 ppb).

Data Sources

Updated daily.

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How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (n.d.). Harlan County School District (KY): 18 Health Violations. https://zipcheckup.com/schools/harlan-county-school-district-ky/
BibTeX 
@misc{zipcheckup-schools-harlan-county-school-district-ky,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Harlan County School District (KY): 18 Health Violations}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/schools/harlan-county-school-district-ky/}
}
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