Health Concerns Found SCHOOL DISTRICT PFAS DETECTED

Polk County School District (FL): 100 Health Violations

45 ZIP codes · 64 water systems · 1,221,831 people served

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA drinking-water data for Polk County School District: 226 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

C · 64
Avg Safety Score (30 ZIP)
45
ZIP Codes
64
Water Systems
2545
Violations (5yr) (38 ZIP)
0.0037 mg/L
Avg Lead Level
17
ZIPs with PFAS
Zone 2
Radon Risk (45 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 Polk County School District in Florida spans 45 ZIP codes. This materialization has canonical Home Safety Scores for 30 ZIP records and typed EPA water violation counts for 38 ZIP records. Missing evidence is not treated as zero.

The deduplicated primary-system served-population sum is 1,221,831 across 22 water systems. This is not the district resident population.

The average Home Safety Score under model 4.0.0 across 30 scored ZIP records is C (64/100)

  • with the lowest-scoring area at 50/100 .

Water quality in this district ranks better than 50% of ZIP codes 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) 0.0037 mg/L 0.015 mg/L
Highest lead level 0.0096 mg/L 0.015 mg/L
ZIP records exceeding EPA action level 0 of 38 with known status -

PFAS Contamination

PFAS ("forever chemicals") detected in 17 ZIP records in this district. The aggregate does not treat ZIP records without PFAS evidence as tested negatives. One or more PFAS compounds exceed EPA maximum contaminant levels.

Detected compounds: PFPeA, PFHxA, PFBA, PFOS, PFBS, PFHpA, PFOA, PFHxS.

Highest measured level: 0.0137 µg/L.

PFAS can accumulate in the body over time. Children's higher water intake relative to body weight makes them particularly susceptible. Reverse osmosis filters (NSF/ANSI 58) are the most effective at removing PFAS.

Learn more about PFAS in drinking water →

EPA Violation History

100 health-based violations recorded across 38 ZIP records with known health counts in the past 5 years. 38 of 38 ZIP records with known total counts have at least one violation. 226 violations remain unresolved.

Contaminants of Concern

Contaminant Category Violations Health-Based ZIPs Affected
Consumer Confidence Report Rule Reporting 1259 Yes 38
Total Coliform Microbiological 936 No 34
Stage 1 DBP Rule Treatment Technique 104 No 35
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Disinfection Byproducts 67 Yes 23
Stage 2 DBP Rule Treatment Technique 58 Yes 19
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) Disinfection Byproducts 54 Yes 23
Surface Water Treatment Rule Treatment Technique 25 No 12
Contaminant 2946 Other 21 Yes 7

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?
33844 Haines City C (67) 246 7 0.007 mg/L No
33881 Winter Haven D (50) 208 6 0.007 mg/L No
33898 Lake Wales C (67) 153 9 0.002 mg/L No
33884 Winter Haven D (50) 134 6 0.007 mg/L No
33859 Lake Wales D (50) 120 7 0.0075 mg/L No
33830 Bartow C (67) 117 3 0.0075 mg/L No
33850 Lake Alfred D (50) 112 2 0.007 mg/L No
33880 Winter Haven D (50) 111 2 0.007 mg/L No
33838 Dundee C (67) 100 5 0.007 mg/L No
33823 Auburndale C (67) 90 2 0.007 mg/L No
33868 Polk City N/A 86 1 0.0032 mg/L No
33860 Mulberry C (67) 80 7 0.003 mg/L No
33843 Frostproof C (67) 76 6 0.0056 mg/L No
33896 Davenport D (50) 69 2 0.0028 mg/L No
33897 Davenport C (67) 69 1 0.0011 mg/L No
33839 Eagle Lake N/A 62 1 0.007 mg/L No
33841 Fort Meade C (67) 55 1 0.0075 mg/L No
33809 Lakeland C (67) 53 0 0.0015 mg/L No
33810 Lakeland C (68) 52 0 0.0016 mg/L No
33877 Waverly N/A 50 3 0.002 mg/L No
33837 Davenport D (50) 49 2 0.0028 mg/L No
33803 Lakeland C (67) 45 1 0.001 mg/L No
33827 Babson Park N/A 42 4 0.0023 mg/L No
33813 Lakeland C (69) 41 2 0.003 mg/L No
33801 Lakeland C (69) 40 1 0.0032 mg/L No
33825 Avon Park B (70) 39 6 0.0096 mg/L No
33811 Lakeland C (69) 38 1 0.001 mg/L No
34714 Clermont C (69) 34 8 0.0025 mg/L No
33834 Bowling Green N/A 27 0 0.0016 mg/L No
33851 Lake Hamilton N/A 25 1 0.001 mg/L No
33853 Lake Wales C (57) 25 1 0.001 mg/L No
33812 Lakeland B (75) 21 0 0.001 mg/L No
33849 Kathleen N/A 21 0 0.0015 mg/L No
33805 Lakeland B (78) 16 0 0.0032 mg/L No
34759 Kissimmee C (69) 14 0 0.0006 mg/L No
33547 Lithia C (62) 13 2 0.003 mg/L No
33815 Lakeland B (82) 6 0 0.0006 mg/L No
33840 Eaton Park N/A 6 0 0.0006 mg/L No
33835 Bradley N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
33847 Homeland N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
33854 Lakeshore N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
33855 Indian Lake Estates N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
33856 Nalcrest N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
33858 Loughman N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
33867 River Ranch 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. Address PFAS - If PFAS are detected in your area, a reverse osmosis or activated carbon block filter rated NSF/ANSI 53 or 58 can reduce levels significantly.
  5. 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).
  6. 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 Polk County School District schools?

EPA system-level records associated with Polk County School District show 100 health-based violations across 38 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 Polk 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).

Are there PFAS in Polk County School District water?

Yes, PFAS have been detected in 17 ZIP records associated with this district. ZIP records without PFAS evidence are not counted as tested negatives. PFAS are "forever chemicals" that do not break down and can accumulate in the body. The EPA has set maximum contaminant levels for certain PFAS compounds.

Data Sources

Updated daily.

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How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (n.d.). Polk County School District (FL): 100 Health Violations. https://zipcheckup.com/schools/polk-county-school-district-fl/
BibTeX 
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  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Polk County School District (FL): 100 Health Violations}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/schools/polk-county-school-district-fl/}
}
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