Home hazard report for 14903 — Elmira, NY
ZIP 14903 is served by Big Flats Water District 5: no health-based violations since 2016, latest lead result 2 ppb, PFAS 1 detected. Chemung County is in EPA radon zone 1.
No health-based violations reported since 2016.
90th-percentile lead in the latest round (Jan 2023). Lead comes mostly from household plumbing and service lines, so individual homes can be higher.
PFAS were detected, with PFOA and PFOS below 4.0 ppt (highest not detected).
Predicted average indoor radon above 4 pCi/L — EPA’s action level. Test your home.
FEMA’s overall natural-hazard risk for this census tract, relative to the rest of the U.S.
Active or proposed Superfund (National Priorities List) sites near the center of this ZIP code.
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Where ZIP 14903 is
Dashed: ZIP area · blue: utility service area · scroll or pinch to zoomDrinking water: Big Flats Water District 5
Health-based violations
No health-based violations reported since 2016.
Full record for Big Flats Water District 5 →
Other systems overlapping this ZIP: Elmira Water Board, Big Flats Water District 4.
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 | 4.8 ppt | 2 of 6 | — |
| PFHpA | not detected | 0 of 6 | — |
| PFHxA | not detected | 0 of 6 | — |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) | not detected | 0 of 6 | — |
| PFDA | not detected | 0 of 6 | — |
| PFBA | not detected | 0 of 6 | — |
| PFOS | not detected | 0 of 6 | 4 ppt MCL |
| PFNA | not detected | 0 of 6 | — |
| PFHxS | not detected | 0 of 6 | — |
| PFBS | not detected | 0 of 6 | — |
| PFOA | not detected | 0 of 6 | 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 Chemung County
EPA radon zone 1 — highest potential. Predicted average indoor radon above 4 pCi/L — EPA’s action level. Test your home.
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 Low, with relatively moderate 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Facet Enterprises, Inc. Elmira, New York · EPA ID NYD073675514 | Active (final NPL) | 2.7 mi |
| Kentucky Avenue Well Field Horseheads, New York · EPA ID NYD980650667 | Active (final NPL) | 3.2 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 14903
Who supplies drinking water to ZIP 14903?
Big Flats Water District 5 (EPA ID NY0701011), a groundwater (wells) system serving about 8,489 people.
Is there lead in Elmira, NY tap water?
The utility’s latest 90th-percentile lead result (Jan 2023) was 2 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 Elmira, NY water have PFAS?
PFAS were detected, with PFOA and PFOS below 4.0 ppt (highest not detected).
Has the water system in 14903 had violations?
No health-based violations reported since 2016.
What natural hazards affect ZIP 14903?
FEMA’s National Risk Index rates the overall natural-hazard risk here as Relatively Low; the highest-rated hazards are riverine flooding (relatively moderate), cold wave (relatively low), hail (relatively low).
Are there Superfund sites near 14903?
Active or proposed Superfund (National Priorities List) sites near the center of this ZIP code. Sites within 10 miles: Facet Enterprises, Inc. (2.7 mi, Active (final NPL)); Kentucky Avenue Well Field (3.2 mi, Active (final NPL)).
Is radon a problem in Chemung County?
Chemung County is in EPA radon zone 1 (highest potential). Predicted average indoor radon above 4 pCi/L — EPA’s action level. Test your home.