Home hazard report for 05451 — Essex, VT
ZIP 05451 is served by Essex Jct Water Dept (as listed by the state): no health-based violations since 2016, latest lead result 0.7 ppb, PFAS not detected. Chittenden is in EPA radon zone 3.
No health-based violations reported since 2016.
90th-percentile lead in the latest round (Jan 2025). Lead comes mostly from household plumbing and service lines, so individual homes can be higher.
None of the tested PFAS were found above EPA’s reporting limits in 2023–2025.
Predicted average under 2 pCi/L — but any home can have high radon, so EPA still recommends a test.
The nearest active Superfund site is 5.2 miles away.
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Where ZIP 05451 is
blue: utility service area · scroll or pinch to zoomDrinking water: Essex Jct Water Dept
Health-based violations
No health-based violations reported since 2016.
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”)
| Compound | Highest result | Samples with detection | EPA limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFPeA | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
| PFBA | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
| PFHxA | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
| PFOA | not detected | 0 of 4 | 4 ppt MCL |
| PFNA | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
| PFHxS | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
| PFHpA | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
| PFBS | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
| PFDA | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
| PFOS | not detected | 0 of 4 | 4 ppt MCL |
EPA Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 5), samples 2023–2025; ppt = parts per trillion (ng/L). The 4.0 ppt maximum contaminant levels for PFOA and PFOS were set by EPA in 2024; water systems have until the end of the decade to comply.
Radon in Chittenden
EPA radon zone 3 — low potential. Predicted average under 2 pCi/L — but any home can have high radon, so EPA still recommends a test.
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 →
Superfund sites nearby
| Site | Status | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Commerce Street Plume Williston, Vermont · EPA ID VTD098352545 | Active (final NPL) | 5.2 mi |
| Pine Street Canal Burlington, Vermont · EPA ID VTD980523062 | Active (final NPL) | 8.8 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 05451
Who supplies drinking water to ZIP 05451?
Essex Jct Water Dept (EPA ID VT0005066), a surface water (rivers, lakes) system serving about 9,500 people, listed by the state as serving this ZIP code.
Is there lead in Essex, VT tap water?
The utility’s latest 90th-percentile lead result (Jan 2025) was 0.7 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 Essex, VT water have PFAS?
None of the tested PFAS were found above EPA’s reporting limits in 2023–2025.
Has the water system in 05451 had violations?
No health-based violations reported since 2016.
Are there Superfund sites near 05451?
The nearest active Superfund site is 5.2 miles away. Sites within 10 miles: Commerce Street Plume (5.2 mi, Active (final NPL)); Pine Street Canal (8.8 mi, Active (final NPL)).
Is radon a problem in Chittenden?
Chittenden is in EPA radon zone 3 (low potential). Predicted average under 2 pCi/L — but any home can have high radon, so EPA still recommends a test.