Home hazard report for 49023 — Benton Harbor, MI
ZIP 49023 is served by Benton Harbor (as listed by the state): 20 violations since 2016, latest lead result 0.8 ppb, PFAS not detected. Berrien is in EPA radon zone 3.
Health-based violations since 2016: Carbon, Total, Lead and Copper Rule, Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule. All are listed as resolved.
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.
Active or proposed Superfund (National Priorities List) sites near the center of this ZIP code.
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Where ZIP 49023 is
blue: utility service area · scroll or pinch to zoomDrinking water: Benton Harbor
Health-based violations
| Contaminant or rule | Health-based violations since 2016 |
|---|---|
| Carbon, Total | 12 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | 4 |
| Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule | 2 |
| Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule | 1 |
| 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 Apr 2026.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| HFPO-DA (GenX) | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
| PFBA | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
| PFPeA | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
| PFBS | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
| PFNA | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
| PFHpA | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
| PFHxS | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
| PFOS | not detected | 0 of 4 | 4 ppt MCL |
| PFOA | not detected | 0 of 4 | 4 ppt MCL |
| PFDA | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
| PFHxA | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
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 Berrien
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Aircraft Components (D & L Sales) Benton Harbor, Michigan · EPA ID MI0001119106 | Active (final NPL) | <1 mi |
| Bendix Corp./Allied Automotive St. Joseph, Michigan · EPA ID MID005107222 | Active (final NPL) | 5.5 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 49023
Who supplies drinking water to ZIP 49023?
Benton Harbor (EPA ID MI0000600), a surface water (rivers, lakes) system serving about 9,103 people, listed by the state as serving this ZIP code.
Is there lead in Benton Harbor, MI tap water?
The utility’s latest 90th-percentile lead result (Jan 2025) was 0.8 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 Benton Harbor, MI water have PFAS?
None of the tested PFAS were found above EPA’s reporting limits in 2023–2025.
Has the water system in 49023 had violations?
Health-based violations since 2016: Carbon, Total, Lead and Copper Rule, Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule. All are listed as resolved.
Are there Superfund sites near 49023?
Active or proposed Superfund (National Priorities List) sites near the center of this ZIP code. Sites within 10 miles: Aircraft Components (D & L Sales) (0.7 mi, Active (final NPL)); Bendix Corp./Allied Automotive (5.5 mi, Active (final NPL)).
Is radon a problem in Berrien?
Berrien 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.