Home hazard report for 03854 — New Castle, NH
ZIP 03854 is served by New Castle Water Works: 11 violations since 2016, latest lead result 17 ppb, PFAS not tested. Rockingham County is in EPA radon zone 2.
Health-based violations since 2016: TTHM. All are listed as resolved.
The 90th-percentile lead level in the latest round (Jan 2007) was above EPA's 15 ppb action level, which requires the utility to take further steps.
This system was not part of EPA’s 2023–2025 nationwide PFAS testing (UCMR 5 covers systems serving over 3,300 people and a sample of smaller ones).
Predicted average indoor radon between 2 and 4 pCi/L. Test your home; many homes here exceed 4 pCi/L.
FEMA’s overall natural-hazard risk for this census tract, relative to the rest of the U.S.
The nearest active Superfund site is 5.4 miles away.
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Where ZIP 03854 is
Dashed: ZIP area · blue: utility service area · scroll or pinch to zoomDrinking water: New Castle Water Works
Health-based violations
| Contaminant or rule | Health-based violations since 2016 |
|---|---|
| TTHM | 11 |
A health-based violation means a contaminant exceeded its legal limit (MCL) or a required treatment technique was not met, as reported by the state to EPA’s SDWIS. All are listed as resolved or archived; the latest began Jul 2018.
Lead
90th-percentile lead per sampling round (90% of the homes sampled were at or below this level). Black line: EPA’s 15 ppb action level; under the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements the action level becomes 10 ppb from 2027.
PFAS (“forever chemicals”)
This system was not part of EPA’s 2023–2025 nationwide PFAS testing (UCMR 5).
Radon in Rockingham County
EPA radon zone 2 — moderate potential. Predicted average indoor radon between 2 and 4 pCi/L. Test your home; many homes here exceed 4 pCi/L.
Radon is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas from soil and rock, and the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above and considering it from 2 pCi/L. A short-term test kit costs about $15–30. How radon zones work →
Natural hazard risk
FEMA rates the overall natural-hazard risk of this neighborhood (census tract) as Very Low, with relatively low social vulnerability and relatively high community resilience.
FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025): expected annual losses from each hazard combined with social vulnerability and community resilience, rated relative to all U.S. census tracts. Hazards not listed are not applicable here. It describes the area, not a single building; flood insurance maps (FEMA FIRMs) decide flood-insurance requirements.
Live conditions: river gauges and flood levels · tornado warnings · wildfire detections · earthquakes — our sister maps, updated from NOAA, USGS and NASA every few minutes.
Superfund sites nearby
| Site | Status | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Kittery, Maine · EPA ID ME7170022019 | Cleaned up & deleted | 2.0 mi |
| Pease Air Force Base Newington, Portsmouth, New Hampshire · EPA ID NH7570024847 | Active (final NPL) | 5.4 mi |
| Coakley Landfill North Hampton, New Hampshire · EPA ID NHD064424153 | Active (final NPL) | 6.6 mi |
EPA Superfund National Priorities List (NPL): the country’s most serious known hazardous-waste sites, each with an EPA cleanup record (linked). Distance is measured from the ZIP center to the site’s reference point; being near a site does not by itself mean exposure — EPA site pages describe what was found and how it is being cleaned up.
What this is — and isn’t. These are records your water utility and state reported to the EPA, and the EPA’s radon map for your county. They describe the system and the area, not the water from your own tap or the air in your home. For that, read your utility’s annual Consumer Confidence Report and test: lead and radon tests are inexpensive.
Questions about 03854
Who supplies drinking water to ZIP 03854?
New Castle Water Works (EPA ID NH1661010), a surface water (rivers, lakes) system serving about 910 people.
Is there lead in New Castle, NH tap water?
The utility’s latest 90th-percentile lead result (Jan 2007) was 17 ppb; EPA’s action level is 15 ppb, falling to 10 ppb from 2027. Lead mostly comes from service lines and home plumbing, so the only way to know your tap is to test it.
Does New Castle, NH water have PFAS?
This system was not part of EPA’s 2023–2025 nationwide PFAS testing (UCMR 5 covers systems serving over 3,300 people and a sample of smaller ones).
Has the water system in 03854 had violations?
Health-based violations since 2016: TTHM. All are listed as resolved.
What natural hazards affect ZIP 03854?
FEMA’s National Risk Index rates the overall natural-hazard risk here as Very Low; the highest-rated hazards are coastal flooding (relatively high), ice storm (relatively moderate), cold wave (relatively low).
Are there Superfund sites near 03854?
The nearest active Superfund site is 5.4 miles away. Sites within 10 miles: Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (2.0 mi, Cleaned up & deleted); Pease Air Force Base (5.4 mi, Active (final NPL)); Coakley Landfill (6.6 mi, Active (final NPL)).
Is radon a problem in Rockingham County?
Rockingham County is in EPA radon zone 2 (moderate potential). Predicted average indoor radon between 2 and 4 pCi/L. Test your home; many homes here exceed 4 pCi/L.