City of Lake Wales
EPA ID: FL6532234 · 18,722 people served · 8 ZIP codes
ZipCheckup's reading of EPA SDWIS for City of Lake Wales (FL6532234): 1 unresolved EPA violation on record. Pulled from the federal compliance ledger, 1 violation at City of Lake Wales remain without resolution - the utility delivers drinking water to roughly 18,722 residents.
Data: EPA SDWIS
Service Area Map
Coverage area for City of Lake Wales Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary - Grade C
Service Area Demographics
The City of Lake Wales serves a community with a median household income of $57,277 and an estimated 97,276 residents across its service area. Approximately 57% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
Environmental Justice Note: 55% of the population in this service area is classified as disadvantaged under EPA's EJScreen criteria. Communities with higher disadvantaged populations often face disproportionate environmental and health burdens, including aging water infrastructure and limited resources for remediation.
💧 Where Does Your Water Come From?
City of Lake Wales's water is pumped from underground aquifers. Groundwater is naturally filtered through rock and soil, but it can be vulnerable to PFAS contamination, nitrates from agriculture, and industrial chemicals that seep into the water table.
Infrastructure Risk
Detected Contaminants
How City of Lake Wales compares to EPA limits
What This Means For You
Consumer Confidence Report Rule at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
PFAS Detected in Service Area
PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been detected in water serving this system's area. 15 detections recorded. 6 exceed federal EPA limits (4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS). 6 exceed state limits.
Comparable Water Systems
Similar-sized systems in Florida
Estimated Remediation Costs
Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system
Based on national averages for common remediation projects. Actual costs vary by property. Only issues flagged by EPA, FEMA, or state data for each ZIP code are included.
System Overview
City of Lake Wales, (EPA ID: FL6532234) is a community water system in Florida that serves approximately 18,722 people from groundwater sources.
This system provides water to 8 ZIP codes across 6 communities.
ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: C (58/100)
This is the average Home Safety Score for 3 of 8 service-area ZIP codes with all required score domains observed. It is not a grade for the water utility.
Model 4.0.0 uses SDWIS identity plus accepted ECHO SDWA lifecycle-based water compliance, the UCMR 5 PFAS MCL screen, EPA radon zone, and annual EPA AirData AQI across three equally weighted domains. Missing required evidence suppresses the score.
Violation History
Status breakdown for accepted records with record years 2021-2026: 0 resolved, 0 archived, 0 addressed, and 1 unaddressed. Under this source contract, current noncompliance is the sum of addressed and unaddressed records. Archived and resolved records are excluded from current noncompliance.
Recent Violations
| Date | Contaminant | Type | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 1, 2023 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Non-health-based | Unaddressed (current) |
Contaminants Detected
The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | Health-Based |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting Failure | 1 | No |
Lead & Copper
EPA Lead and Copper Rule evidence attributed directly to this water system:
| Lead Level | Exceeds Action Level | Sample Date |
|---|---|---|
| 0.0009 mg/L | No | N/A |
No copper action-level exceedance record appears for this PWSID in the accepted LCR snapshot. This does not establish a clean copper measurement.
Radon Risk in Service Area
Dominant radon zone for ZIP codes served by this system: Zone 2 (Moderate Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Need help with your water quality?
Typical cost: Water test: typically $20–$50 (DIY kit) · Professional inspection: $150–$400
Find the Right Water FilterFree tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking — this helps flush lead from your pipes.
ZIP Codes Served
Coverage: Service area ZIP codes sourced from EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 (March 2026 release). These ZIPs reflect the actual deployment footprint recorded by FL or modeled from parcel and building-footprint data.
- 33827 - Babson Park
- 33838 - Dundee
- 33843 - Frostproof
- 33853 - Lake Wales
- 33859 - Lake Wales
- 33877 - Waverly
- 33884 - Winter Haven
- 33898 - Lake Wales
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for City of Lake Wales (FL6532234) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is City of Lake Wales water safe to drink?
The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot shows 1 current noncompliance record and zero current records classified as health-based. That classification is not a property-specific water test or safety guarantee.
How many people does City of Lake Wales serve?
City of Lake Wales serves approximately 18,722 people across 8 ZIP codes in Florida.
Where does City of Lake Wales get its water?
The primary water source is groundwater.
Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Detected
This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). PFAS compounds were detected below the current state-enforceable MCL.
Current MCL reflects the lowest state-enforceable limit (NYS 10 ppt for PFOA/PFOS, effective August 2020). The federal final MCL of 4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS (EPA April 2024 rule) is not enforceable until April 2029. Detections above 4 ppt but below 10 ppt are below current MCL but above the future federal limit.
Source: U.S. EPA UCMR5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 5th cycle) — per-system federal sampling, 2023–2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program →
How Water Systems Appear in Rankings
Water systems are evaluated by violation history, contaminant detections, and service population. Larger systems with more service connections appear in more rankings.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to cite this page
ZipCheckup. (n.d.). City of Lake Wales (FL): 1 EPA Violation. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/fl6532234/
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-fl6532234,
author = {{ZipCheckup}},
title = {{City of Lake Wales (FL): 1 EPA Violation}},
year = {n.d.},
url = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/fl6532234/}
}
What You Can Do
Test your water
Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter →
Check your specific ZIP code
Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report →
Contact your utility
City of Lake Wales (EPA ID: FL6532234) - request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.