Indianapolis, IN Water Quality (ZIP 46204)

Quick Answers

Is ZIP 46204 tap water safe to drink? PFAS compounds have been detected in 46204's water at an average of 0 ppt across 4 compounds. A certified pitcher filter or reverse osmosis system is recommended, especially for sensitive populations.

What filter should I use in 46204? A reverse osmosis system (NSF/ANSI 58) removes 90%+ of PFAS, lead, and arsenic. For smaller households, an NSF-53 certified pitcher (Clearly Filtered, ZeroWater) works. Standard Brita cartridges are not certified for PFAS.

ZIP 46204 Water Quality Summary

EPA testing has detected PFAS "forever chemicals" in the water system serving ZIP 46204 (Indianapolis, IN). Monitoring found a peak of 0.01 ppt across 1 system, averaging 0 ppt over 4 detected compounds.

Contamination Level: LOW – Low contamination – PFAS detected but at lower levels; monitoring continues.

Top Detected Compounds in ZIP 46204

• PFHXA: 0.01 ppt
• PFPEA: 0.01 ppt
• PFBA: 0.01 ppt
• PFBS: 0 ppt

Lead in ZIP 46204 Water

EPA Lead and Copper Rule testing recorded 9 lead samples for the system serving 46204, with a 90th-percentile high of 0.0313 mg/L (above the EPA 0.015 mg/L action level). There is no safe level of lead for children; homes built before 1986 should use a certified NSF/ANSI 53 lead filter.

EPA Violations Affecting ZIP 46204

The water system serving 46204 have 2 health-based EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record, including 5000. A health-based violation means a contaminant exceeded its federal limit or required treatment was not applied.

About the Data

Source: EPA UCMR5 monitoring (2023-2025), Lead and Copper Rule samples, and SDWIS violation records tied to the water system that serves 46204 in Indianapolis, IN.

Beyond water: other exposures in Indianapolis, IN

Drinking water is one exposure route. These are the other federal datasets that cover ZIP 46204 and Marion County, IN.

Radon risk in Marion County, IN

The EPA places Marion County, IN in Zone 1 - the EPA's highest-risk category, where the predicted average indoor radon level is above 4 pCi/L. Zone maps predict the radon potential of an area from geology and existing indoor readings - they do not describe any individual home. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among people who have never smoked, and the only way to know your own level is a test kit.

Lead paint risk in Marion County, IN

Census figures show 60% of homes in Marion County, IN were built before 1980, and 21% before 1950. Lead-based paint was banned for residential use in 1978, so older housing stock is the strongest available proxy for lead-paint exposure. This is a statistic about the county's housing, not a test of any particular property - if your home predates 1980, a lead swab test is the way to check.

Air quality in Marion County, IN

Modelled annual fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) for Marion County, IN averages 9.9 µg/m³, above the EPA's annual PM2.5 standard of 9 µg/m³. PM2.5 is the pollution fraction small enough to reach deep into the lungs. These are CDC modelled estimates for the county as a whole, not a reading taken at this ZIP code.

Superfund sites near 46204

There are 2 EPA Superfund (National Priorities List) sites within about five miles of 46204: Reilly Tar & Chemical Corp. (Indianapolis Plant) (about 3.9 miles); Keystone Corridor Ground Water Contamination (about 4.7 miles). Distances are measured from the ZIP code's geographic centre, so the distance from a specific address will differ. Proximity to a listed site is a fact about location - it is not itself evidence of exposure.

Industrial releases near 46204

EPA Toxics Release Inventory data for 2023 records 11 reporting facilities within about five miles of 46204, together reporting roughly 197,667 pounds of on-site chemical releases that year. TRI covers facilities above federal reporting thresholds, so smaller sources are not included, and a reported release is not the same as a measured concentration in air or water.