We read 29 results from City of Newport News’s 2025 water quality report. No results over a legal limit; 5 above a health goal or guideline.
Serves about 407,300 people · Water system ID VA3700500 · Read the district’s 2025 report (opens in a new tab)
Open this district in the water lookupCompare with your own test results, see the district map and get matched filters.
Results from the 2025 report
Each number is copied from the district’s report and links to the page it’s printed on. Where the report lists several plants, wells or purchased water, the highest is shown.
| Contaminant | Result | Health goal | Legal limit | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross alpha (radioactivity)highest measured · range ND to 0.6 · sampled 2022 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 13 | 0.6 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 15 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Gross beta (radioactivity)highest measured · range 1.2 to 1.8 · sampled 2022 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 13 | 1.8 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 50 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| PFOA (a PFAS)highest measured · range 2.1 to 3.3 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 15 | 3.3 ppt | 0.007 ppt | 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the health goal471x the health goal |
| PFOS (a PFAS)highest measured · range 3.7 to 4.9 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 15 | 4.9 ppt | 1 ppt | 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the federal limit that takes effect in 20291.2x the 4 ppt federal limit that takes effect in 2029Not a violation yet: EPA's 4 ppt limit is final, but water systems don't have to meet it until 2029. |
| Radium (combined 226 + 228)highest measured · range 0.2 to 0.6 · sampled 2022 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 13 | 0.6 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 5 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Aluminumaverage · range 0.03 to 0.05 · printed as 43 ppb · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 15 | 0.04 ppm | — | 0.2 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Bariumhighest measured · range 0.02 to 0.03 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 12 | 0.03 ppm | 2 ppm | 2 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Chloraminehighest running annual average · range ND to 5.4 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 11 | 3.3 ppm | None set | 4 ppm | Below the legal limit |
| Chlorideaverage · range 16.9 to 17 · Treated water · 2025 report, page 13 | 17 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Copper90th percentile of homes tested, 0 over the action level · Customer taps · 2025 report, page 11 | 0.1 ppm | 0.3 ppm | 1.3 ppm (action level) | Below the health goal |
| Disinfection byproducts (HAA5)highest running annual average · range 5 to 32 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 11 | 21 ppb | None set | 60 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Disinfection byproducts (TTHM)highest running annual average · range 6 to 32 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 11 | 21 ppb | None set | 80 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Fluoridehighest measured · range 0.73 to 0.77 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 12 | 0.77 ppm | 1 ppm | 4 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Ironaverage · range ND to 0.02 · printed as 6 ppb · Treated water · 2025 report, page 13 | 0.006 ppm | — | 0.3 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Lead90th percentile of homes tested, 0 over the action level · Customer taps · 2025 report, page 11 | Not detected | 0.2 ppb | 15 ppb (action level) | Not detected |
| Manganeseaverage · range ND to 0.04 · printed as 14 ppb · Treated water · 2025 report, page 13 | 0.01 ppm | — | 0.05 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Nitrate (as N)highest measured · range 0.03 to 0.07 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 12 | 0.07 ppm | 10 ppm | 10 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Nitrite (as N)highest measured · range 0.002 to 0.003 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 12 | 0.003 ppm | 1 ppm | 1 ppm | Below the health goal |
| PFHxS (a PFAS)highest measured · range ND to 3.7 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 15 | 3.7 ppt | None set | 10 ppt from 2029 | Below the legal limit |
| pHaverage · range 7.2 to 8.2 · Treated water · 2025 report, page 13 | 7.2 | — | — | Normal range |
| Sulfateaverage · range 35.6 to 39.1 · Treated water · 2025 report, page 13 | 37.4 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Total coliform bacteriahighest month · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 11 | Not detected | 0 % positive | 5 % positive | Not detected |
| Total dissolved solidsaverage · range 109 to 131 · Treated water · 2025 report, page 13 | 120 ppm | — | 500 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Turbidity (cloudiness)highest measured · range 0.02 to 0.11 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 12 | 0.11 NTU | None set | 1 NTU | Below the legal limit |
| Hardnessaverage · range 3.68 to 4.39 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 15 | 4.04 gpg (69 ppm) | — | — | Moderately hard |
| PFBA (a PFAS)highest measured · range 2.6 to 3.8 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 15 | 3.8 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFHxA (a PFAS)highest measured · range ND to 3.5 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 15 | 3.5 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| PFPeA (a PFAS)highest measured · range 2.5 to 3.6 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 15 | 3.6 ppt | None set | None | No health limit |
| Sodiumaverage · range 12.4 to 12.8 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 15 | 12.6 ppm | None set | None | No health limit |
Utility results describe the whole system, measured where water enters the pipes, not your tap. Your home’s plumbing can add lead or copper.
EPA testing for PFAS and lithium
EPA’s own nationwide testing (UCMR 5) found these in City of Newport News’s water between Apr 2023 and Jan 2024. These are EPA lab results, separate from the district’s report. Anything not listed was not detected.
- PFOS6.1 pptFound in 3 of 8 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
- PFHxS5 pptFound in 5 of 8 samples · highest resultNo federal limit in force for this one
Source: EPA UCMR 5 occurrence data. The highest single result is shown; one high sample doesn’t mean every glass is that high.
What you can do
Nothing here is an emergency notice: if the district has a violation, it must tell customers directly. If you’d like to lower these at your tap, these are the treatments that remove them, and the catalog shows the models certified for each. Ranking is by certified removal; commissions never change the order.
Radium and uranium
Found: Gross alpha (radioactivity), Gross beta (radioactivity), Radium (combined 226 + 228)
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
Found: PFOA (a PFAS), PFOS (a PFAS), PFOS (EPA testing)
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
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