Home hazard report for 19894 — Wilmington, DE
ZIP 19894 is served by Wilmington Water Department: 1 violation since 2016, latest lead result 0 ppb, PFAS 9.9 ppt. New Castle is in EPA radon zone 2.
Health-based violations since 2016: Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule. All are listed as resolved.
90th-percentile lead in the latest round (Jan 2021). Lead comes mostly from household plumbing and service lines, so individual homes can be higher.
Highest PFOA or PFOS result in EPA’s 2023–2025 testing was at or above 4.0 ppt, EPA’s 2024 maximum contaminant level for each. 6 PFAS compounds detected.
Predicted average indoor radon between 2 and 4 pCi/L. Test your home; many homes here exceed 4 pCi/L.
Active or proposed Superfund (National Priorities List) sites near the center of this ZIP code.
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Where ZIP 19894 is
blue: utility service area · scroll or pinch to zoomDrinking water: Wilmington Water Department
Health-based violations
| Contaminant or rule | Health-based violations since 2016 |
|---|---|
| Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule | 1 |
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 Oct 2017.
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 | 32.2 ppt | 8 of 8 | — |
| PFHxA | 21.1 ppt | 8 of 8 | — |
| PFBA | 14.1 ppt | 7 of 8 | — |
| PFOA | 9.9 ppt | 8 of 8 | 4 ppt MCL |
| PFHpA | 8.4 ppt | 5 of 8 | — |
| PFBS | 3.6 ppt | 4 of 8 | — |
| PFNA | not detected | 0 of 8 | — |
| PFOS | not detected | 0 of 8 | 4 ppt MCL |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) | not detected | 0 of 8 | — |
| PFDA | not detected | 0 of 8 | — |
| PFHxS | not detected | 0 of 8 | — |
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 New Castle
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 →
Superfund sites nearby
| Site | Status | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Halby Chemical Co. New Castle, Delaware · EPA ID DED980830954 | Active (final NPL) | 2.0 mi |
| E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Inc. (Newport Pigment Plant Landfill) Newport, Delaware · EPA ID DED980555122 | Active (final NPL) | 4.2 mi |
| Koppers Co., Inc. (Newport Plant) Newport, Delaware · EPA ID DED980552244 | Active (final NPL) | 5.0 mi |
| New Castle Spill New Castle County, Delaware · EPA ID DED058980442 | Cleaned up & deleted | 5.3 mi |
| East Basin Road Groundwater New Castle, Delaware · EPA ID DEN000304044 | Active (final NPL) | 5.7 mi |
| New Castle Steel New Castle County, Delaware · EPA ID DED980705255 | Cleaned up & deleted | 6.3 mi |
| NL Industries Pedricktown, New Jersey · EPA ID NJD061843249 | Active (final NPL) | 6.5 mi |
| Delaware Sand & Gravel Landfill New Castle County, Delaware · EPA ID DED000605972 | Active (final NPL) | 7.2 mi |
| Army Creek Landfill New Castle County, Delaware · EPA ID DED980494496 | Active (final NPL) | 7.2 mi |
| Hockessin Groundwater Hockessin, Delaware · EPA ID DEN000303920 | Active (final NPL) | 8.5 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 19894
Who supplies drinking water to ZIP 19894?
Wilmington Water Department (EPA ID DE0000663), a surface water (rivers, lakes) system serving about 107,976 people.
Is there lead in Wilmington, DE tap water?
The utility’s latest 90th-percentile lead result (Jan 2021) was 0 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 Wilmington, DE water have PFAS?
Highest PFOA or PFOS result in EPA’s 2023–2025 testing was at or above 4.0 ppt, EPA’s 2024 maximum contaminant level for each. 6 PFAS compounds detected.
Has the water system in 19894 had violations?
Health-based violations since 2016: Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule. All are listed as resolved.
Are there Superfund sites near 19894?
Active or proposed Superfund (National Priorities List) sites near the center of this ZIP code. Sites within 10 miles: Halby Chemical Co. (2.0 mi, Active (final NPL)); E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Inc. (Newport Pigment Plant Landfill) (4.2 mi, Active (final NPL)); Koppers Co., Inc. (Newport Plant) (5.0 mi, Active (final NPL)).
Is radon a problem in New Castle?
New Castle 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.