STATE REPORT DE 3 ALERTS 14 HEALTH VIOLATIONS

Delaware Water Quality: 155 Violations in 97 ZIP Codes

97 ZIP codes · 140 water systems · IPC plumbing code · Updated 2026-07-19

Data: EPA SDWIS, NWS, State plumbing boards, Rewiring America Last verified: 2026-07-19

ZipCheckup tracks drinking-water and home-safety data for 97 ZIP codes across Delaware, covering 140 public water systems that serve about 816,513 people. 66 ZIP codes carry at least one EPA violation on record.

97
ZIP Codes
140
Water Systems
66
ZIPs with Violations
3
Active Alerts
IPC
Plumbing Code
2
Avg Rebate Programs
B · 81
Avg Safety Score
1
ZIPs Exceeding Lead Limit
#2
of 51 States
89%
ZIPs Rated A or B
68%
ZIPs with Violations
B
Delaware average: 81/100 - ranked #2 of 51 states. 14 points above the national average (67). 89% of ZIP codes scored A or B.

Residents across Delaware generally have access to tap water that meets federal safety benchmarks.

Score Distribution

How Delaware's 97 ZIP codes are distributed across safety grades.

30
A
56
B
9
C
2
D
0
F
85-10070-8455-6940-540-39

Home Safety Scores by State

Loading map…
F (0-49) D (50-64) C (65-74) B (75-84) A (85+)

Data: EPA SDWIS, FEMA NFIP, EPA Radon, USGS Earthquake Hazards, NIFC Wildfire • 2026-07-19

Top 10 Safest ZIP Codes in Delaware

Highest Home Safety Scores in the state.

#ZIP CodeCityCountyScoreGrade
1 19902 Dover AfbKent 99 A
2 19955 KentonKent 98 A
3 19979 ViolaKent 97 A
4 19933 BridgevilleSussex 95 A
5 19940 DelmarSussex 95 A
6 19953 HartlyKent 95 A
7 19964 MarydelKent 95 A
8 19936 CheswoldKent 94 A
9 19941 EllendaleSussex 94 A
10 19961 Little CreekKent 94 A

10 Lowest-Scoring ZIP Codes in Delaware

#ZIP CodeCityCountyScoreGradeViolations
1 19733 Saint GeorgesNew Castle 53 D 0
2 19708 KirkwoodNew Castle 53 D 0
3 19971 Rehoboth BchSussex 55 C 0
4 19958 LewesSussex 55 C 1
5 19736 YorklynNew Castle 55 C 0
6 19732 RocklandNew Castle 55 C 0
7 19703 ClaymontNew Castle 55 C 0
8 19735 WinterthurNew Castle 60 C 0
9 19980 WoodsideKent 66 C 0
10 19954 HoustonSussex 66 C 0

County Rankings

Water quality breakdown by county. 3 counties with data in Delaware.

Loading county map…
F (0-49) D (50-64) C (65-74) B (75-84) A (85+)

County-level aggregation of ZIP code safety scores • EPA SDWIS, FEMA NFIP, EPA Radon, USGS, NIFC

CountyAvg ScoreGradeZIPsBest ZIPWorst ZIP
New Castle 76 B 52 19721 (83) 19733 (53)
Sussex 83 B 25 19933 (95) 19971 (55)
Kent 90 A 20 19902 (99) 19980 (66)

Most Common Contaminants in Delaware

Contaminant / RuleCategoryZIPs AffectedViolationsHealth Risk
Consumer Confidence Report Rule Reporting 35 42 Yes
Surface Water Treatment Rule Treatment Technique 26 74 No
Stage 1 DBP Rule Treatment Technique 24 29 No
Contaminant 1032 Other 5 5 Yes
Lead Inorganic 1 1 Yes
Lead and Copper Rule Treatment Technique 1 1 No
Contaminant 0700 Other 1 1 No

Overview

We track water quality, weather alerts, plumbing regulations, and energy rebates for 97 ZIP codes across Delaware, covering 140 community water systems that serve approximately 816,513 people.

66 of 97 ZIP codes (68%) have recorded EPA violations. 14 health-based violations have been documented.

Active Weather Alerts

3 active alerts in Delaware. Severe weather can directly affect tap water quality - flooding, power outages, and infrastructure damage may lead to boil-water advisories.

Alert Severity Areas
Air Quality Alert Unknown Kent
Air Quality Alert Unknown Inland Sussex; Delaware Beaches
Air Quality Alert Unknown New Castle

View all Delaware alerts →

Plumbing Regulations

Delaware follows the International Plumbing Code (2021 edition).

  • Plumbing code: IPC (2021)
  • Homeowner DIY: Licensed plumber required
  • Water heater permit: Required
  • Annual backflow test: Required

Full Delaware regulations →

Energy & Water Rebates

Across 96 tracked ZIP codes in Delaware, residents have access to an average of 2 water-related rebate programs - including incentives for heat pump water heaters, efficient fixtures, and plumbing upgrades.

Check rebates for your ZIP code →

Areas with Most Violations

ZIP Code City Safety Score Violations Health-Based System
19977 Smyrna A 7 0 Garrison Lake Pump District
19702 Newark B 5 0 Artesian Water Company
19711 Newark B 5 0 Artesian Water Company
19712 Newark B 5 0 Artesian Water Company
19713 Newark B 5 0 Artesian Water Company
19714 Newark B 5 0 Artesian Water Company
19715 Newark B 5 0 Artesian Water Company
19716 Newark B 5 0 Newark Water Department
19717 Newark B 5 0 Newark Water Department
19718 Newark B 5 0 Artesian Water Company

Areas with No Violations

ZIP Code City Safety Score System Population
19701 Bear B Artesian Water Company 231,114
19703 Claymont C Veolia Water Delaware, Inc. 100,495
19706 Delaware City B Delaware City Water Department (awc) 2,610
19708 Kirkwood D MUNICIPAL SERVICES COMMISSION 5,549
19709 Middletown B Middletown Water Department 17,700
19720 New Castle B Municipal Services Commission 5,549
19721 New Castle B Municipal Services Commission 5,549
19730 Odessa B Artesian Water Company 231,114
19731 Port Penn B Artesian Water Company 231,114
19732 Rockland C WILMINGTON WATER DEPARTMENT 107,976

Home Safety Score

Average Home Safety Score for Delaware: B (81/100)

Lead & Copper

  • Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0023 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
  • 1 ZIP code exceed the EPA lead action level

Radon Risk

  • High risk (Zone 1): 0 ZIP codes (0%)
  • Moderate risk (Zone 2): 52 ZIP codes
  • Low risk (Zone 3): 45 ZIP codes

ZIP Code Reports for Delaware

Largest Communities

ZIP Code City Population Safety Grade Violations
19720 New Castle 449,043 B 0
19807 Wilmington 439,645 A 1
19801 Wilmington 439,585 B 1
19804 Wilmington 439,585 C 1
19805 Wilmington 439,585 B 1
19808 Wilmington 439,585 B 1
19702 Newark 406,292 B 5
19711 Newark 406,292 B 5
19713 Newark 406,292 B 5
19701 Bear 334,218 B 0
19712 Newark 305,797 B 5
19714 Newark 305,797 B 5
19715 Newark 305,797 B 5
19716 Newark 305,797 B 5
19717 Newark 305,797 B 5
19718 Newark 305,797 B 5
19725 Newark 305,797 B 5
19726 Newark 305,797 B 5
19709 Middletown 263,994 B 0
19730 Odessa 239,934 B 0

Lowest Safety Scores

ZIP Code City Score Grade Violations
19708 Kirkwood 53 D 0
19733 Saint Georges 53 D 0
19703 Claymont 55 C 0
19732 Rockland 55 C 0
19736 Yorklyn 55 C 0

Highest Safety Scores

ZIP Code City Score Grade Violations
19902 Dover Afb 99 A 0
19955 Kenton 98 A 2
19979 Viola 97 A 4
19933 Bridgeville 95 A 0
19940 Delmar 95 A 0

All 97 ZIP Codes in Delaware

Data Sources

Updated daily.

Largest water systems in Delaware

The 12 biggest community water systems serving Delaware, of 140 total.

Show all 12 water systems

Systems with the most violations in Delaware

12 systems in Delaware with the most recorded EPA violations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the water safe to drink in Delaware?

Delaware has 140 community water systems serving 816,513 people across 97 ZIP codes. There are 155 recorded violations, including 14 health-based. 66 of 97 ZIP codes have at least one violation.

What plumbing code does Delaware follow?

Delaware follows the IPC plumbing code. A licensed plumber is generally required for plumbing work.

Is lead a concern in Delaware's drinking water?

1 ZIP code in Delaware has lead levels exceeding the EPA action level of 0.015 mg/L.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (2026). Delaware Water Quality: 155 Violations in 97 ZIP Codes. https://zipcheckup.com/states/delaware/
BibTeX 
@misc{zipcheckup-states-delaware,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Delaware Water Quality: 155 Violations in 97 ZIP Codes}},
  year   = {2026},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/states/delaware/}
}

Data as of July 2026.

Get safety alerts for Delaware

Free updates when EPA data changes for this area. No spam.

Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy Policy.

Share This Page

X Facebook
Violations found - check filter options Free tool - no phone call required.