EPA data as of Oct 2026 · page updated 2026-10-29

Home hazard report for 05038 — Chelsea, VT

ZIP 05038 has no mapped public water system — homes here most likely use private wells. Orange County is in EPA radon zone 2.

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Where ZIP 05038 is

Dashed: ZIP area · scroll or pinch to zoom
ZIP code areaZIP center Water utility service area PFOA/PFOS ≥ 4 ppt Lead > 15 ppb 5+ violations Superfund site (active) proposed cleaned up Circles: other water systems flagged nearby; size = people served. Tap any symbol for details.

Drinking water: probably a private well

No community water system’s service area covers the center of ZIP 05038, and no system lists it. In rural areas that usually means private wells. The EPA does not regulate private wells: owners should test once a year for coliform bacteria and nitrate, and every few years for arsenic, lead, uranium and other local concerns. Your county health department can recommend a certified lab.

Radon in Orange 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 Relatively Moderate, with relatively low social vulnerability and relatively moderate community resilience.

LightningRelatively High
Riverine floodingRelatively High
Winter weatherRelatively High
Cold waveRelatively Moderate
Ice stormRelatively Moderate
LandslideRelatively Moderate
Strong windRelatively Moderate
HailRelatively Low
Heat waveRelatively Low
HurricaneRelatively Low
TornadoRelatively Low
AvalancheVery Low
EarthquakeVery Low
WildfireVery Low

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

SiteStatusDistance
Pike Hill Copper Mine
Corinth, Vermont · EPA ID VTD988366720
Active (final NPL)8.8 mi
Ely Copper Mine
Vershire, Vermont · EPA ID VTD988366571
Active (final NPL)9.6 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 05038

Does ZIP 05038 have public water?

No community water system service area covers the center of ZIP 05038, and none lists it. Homes here most likely use private wells, which no agency tests — owners should test yearly for bacteria and nitrate, and every few years for arsenic, lead and other local concerns.

What natural hazards affect ZIP 05038?

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates the overall natural-hazard risk here as Relatively Moderate; the highest-rated hazards are lightning (relatively high), riverine flooding (relatively high), winter weather (relatively high).

Are there Superfund sites near 05038?

The nearest active Superfund site is 8.8 miles away. Sites within 10 miles: Pike Hill Copper Mine (8.8 mi, Active (final NPL)); Ely Copper Mine (9.6 mi, Active (final NPL)).

Is radon a problem in Orange County?

Orange 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.