Home hazard report for 98490 — Tacoma, WA
ZIP 98490 is served by City of Tacoma Water Division: no health-based violations since 2016, latest lead result 0 ppb, PFAS 2 detected. Pierce is in EPA radon zone 3.
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 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 98490 is
blue: utility service area · scroll or pinch to zoomDrinking water: City of Tacoma Water Division
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFHxS | 5.1 ppt | 4 of 8 | — |
| PFBS | 3.3 ppt | 1 of 8 | — |
| PFPeA | not detected | 0 of 8 | — |
| PFHxA | not detected | 0 of 8 | — |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) | not detected | 0 of 8 | — |
| PFBA | not detected | 0 of 8 | — |
| PFDA | not detected | 0 of 8 | — |
| PFHpA | not detected | 0 of 8 | — |
| PFNA | not detected | 0 of 8 | — |
| PFOS | not detected | 0 of 8 | 4 ppt MCL |
| PFOA | not detected | 0 of 8 | 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 Pierce
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Commencement Bay, South Tacoma Channel Tacoma, Washington · EPA ID WAD980726301 | Active (final NPL) | 1.7 mi |
| McChord Air Force Base (Wash Rack/Treatment Area) Tacoma, Washington · EPA ID WA8570024200 | Cleaned up & deleted | 4.5 mi |
| Lakewood Lakewood, Washington · EPA ID WAD050075662 | Active (final NPL) | 4.6 mi |
| Commencement Bay, Near Shore/Tide Flats Pierce County, Washington · EPA ID WAD980726368 | Active (final NPL) | 5.2 mi |
| American Lake Gardens/McChord AFB Tacoma, Washington · EPA ID WAD980833065 | Active (final NPL) | 6.0 mi |
| Fort Lewis Logistics Center Tillicum, Washington · EPA ID WA7210090067 | Active (final NPL) | 6.8 mi |
| Fort Lewis (Landfill No. 5) Tacoma, Washington · EPA ID WA9214053465 | Cleaned up & deleted | 9.2 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 98490
Who supplies drinking water to ZIP 98490?
City of Tacoma Water Division (EPA ID WA5386800), a surface water (rivers, lakes) system serving about 446,245 people.
Is there lead in Tacoma, WA tap water?
The utility’s latest 90th-percentile lead result (Jan 2023) 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 Tacoma, WA water have PFAS?
PFAS were detected, with PFOA and PFOS below 4.0 ppt (highest not detected).
Has the water system in 98490 had violations?
No health-based violations reported since 2016.
Are there Superfund sites near 98490?
Active or proposed Superfund (National Priorities List) sites near the center of this ZIP code. Sites within 10 miles: Commencement Bay, South Tacoma Channel (1.7 mi, Active (final NPL)); McChord Air Force Base (Wash Rack/Treatment Area) (4.5 mi, Cleaned up & deleted); Lakewood (4.6 mi, Active (final NPL)).
Is radon a problem in Pierce?
Pierce 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.