Home hazard report for 98248 — Ferndale, WA
ZIP 98248 is served by Lummi Tribal Water District: 1 violation since 2016, latest lead result 1.4 ppb, PFAS not detected. Whatcom County is in EPA radon zone 3.
Health-based violations since 2016: Lead and Copper Rule Revisions. 1 is still listed as unresolved in EPA records.
90th-percentile lead in the latest round (Jan 2022). 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.
FEMA’s overall natural-hazard risk for this census tract, relative to the rest of the U.S.
The nearest active Superfund site is 8.2 miles away.
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Where ZIP 98248 is
Dashed: ZIP area · blue: utility service area · scroll or pinch to zoomDrinking water: Lummi Tribal Water District
Health-based violations
| Contaminant or rule | Health-based violations since 2016 |
|---|---|
| Lead and Copper Rule Revisions | 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. 1 still listed as unresolved (“unaddressed” or “addressed” but not yet returned to compliance); the latest began Oct 2024.
Full record for Lummi Tribal Water District →
Other systems overlapping this ZIP: Old Settlers Water Association, North Star Water Assoc, Lake Terrill Water Assoc.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFDA | not detected | 0 of 16 | — |
| PFOA | not detected | 0 of 16 | 4 ppt MCL |
| PFOS | not detected | 0 of 16 | 4 ppt MCL |
| PFNA | not detected | 0 of 16 | — |
| PFHxS | not detected | 0 of 16 | — |
| PFHpA | not detected | 0 of 16 | — |
| PFBS | not detected | 0 of 16 | — |
| PFHxA | not detected | 0 of 16 | — |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) | not detected | 0 of 16 | — |
| PFBA | not detected | 0 of 16 | — |
| PFPeA | not detected | 0 of 16 | — |
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 Whatcom County
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 →
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 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Oeser Co Bellingham, Washington · EPA ID WAD008957243 | Active (final NPL) | 8.2 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 98248
Who supplies drinking water to ZIP 98248?
Lummi Tribal Water District (EPA ID 105300002), a surface water (rivers, lakes) system serving about 3,699 people.
Is there lead in Ferndale, WA tap water?
The utility’s latest 90th-percentile lead result (Jan 2022) was 1.4 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 Ferndale, WA water have PFAS?
None of the tested PFAS were found above EPA’s reporting limits in 2023–2025.
Has the water system in 98248 had violations?
Health-based violations since 2016: Lead and Copper Rule Revisions. 1 is still listed as unresolved in EPA records.
What natural hazards affect ZIP 98248?
FEMA’s National Risk Index rates the overall natural-hazard risk here as Relatively Moderate; the highest-rated hazards are earthquake (relatively high), cold wave (relatively moderate), ice storm (relatively moderate).
Are there Superfund sites near 98248?
The nearest active Superfund site is 8.2 miles away. Sites within 10 miles: Oeser Co (8.2 mi, Active (final NPL)).
Is radon a problem in Whatcom County?
Whatcom County 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.