Is Newport News tap water safe to drink?

Yes with good quality

Newport News's tap water meets all EPA standards and scores well on our analysis. It is generally safe to drink though filtration can improve taste and provide extra precaution.

82/100
Purity Score
2
Issues Found
2.5 GPG
Hardness
Not detected
PFAS

2 Issues Detected in Newport News

Moderate Chlorine Level

Chlorine within EPA limits but may affect taste.

Chlorine info for Newport News

Arsenic Approaching Limit (0.2 mg/L)

EPA limit is 0.010 mg/L.

Arsenic info for Newport News
Virginia

236,012,360,223,606 · Lee Hall and Harwood Mill reservoirs

Newport News Drinking Water Quality Report

Low Risk Updated March 2026 180,719 residents
See Best Filters for Newport News
82
Purity Score

Newport News's drinking water is sourced from Lee Hall and Harwood Mill reservoirs and treated by Newport News Waterworks. This analysis covers PFAS testing, hardness, chlorine levels, lead risk, and overall safety.

Contaminant Levels

PFAS
ND
Lead
2.8 ppb
Nitrate
0.5 mg/L
Arsenic
0.2 mg/L
Hardness
2.5 gpg

Health Insights

  • 1
    Chlorine levels may affect the taste of Newport News's tap water. A carbon filter improves flavor.

Score

82 /100
Good
"Good" threshold (70)

Newport News tap water is sourced from Lee Hall and Harwood Mill reservoirs and treated by Newport News Waterworks. Overall purity score: 82/100 (Good). Updated for 2026.

Fix Your Water

Best filters matched to Newport News's 2 issues.

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Explore Newport News Water Data

PFAS Levels in Newport NewsPFAS testing data
Newport News Lead LevelsLead testing data
Water Hardness in Newport NewsHardness levels
Best FiltersFull comparison
VirginiaState rankings

Newport News Water FAQ

Is Newport News VA tap water safe to drink in 2026?
Newport News tap water meets EPA federal drinking water standards and scores 82/100 (Good) on PurityMap for 2026. For most healthy adults the water is considered safe but point-of-use filtration adds an important layer of protection.
Does Newport News VA use chlorine or chloramine for disinfection?
Newport News uses chloramine as the primary disinfectant with a residual level of 1.4 ppm. Chloramine is harder to remove than free chlorine and requires a catalytic carbon or reverse osmosis filter. Standard Brita-style pitchers will NOT remove chloramine.
How hard is Newport News VA water and what is the TDS level?
Newport News water hardness is 2.5 grains per gallon (soft) with a TDS of 82 ppm (good). This level is unlikely to cause significant scale buildup in household plumbing.
Has PFAS been found in Newport News VA drinking water?
Based on available EPA UCMR5 monitoring data as of 2026 PFAS have not been detected above EPA advisory levels in Newport News drinking water.

Nearby Reports

Virginia BeachVirginia — 67/100NorfolkVirginia — 67/100AlexandriaVirginia — 67/100RichmondVirginia — 82/100ChesapeakeVirginia — 82/100HamptonVirginia — 82/100

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Data Sources

  • EPA SDWIS
  • EWG Tap Water Database
  • Newport News Waterworks CCR
  • USGS monitoring data

PurityMap compiles public data. Updated March 2026.

© 2026 PurityMap. For informational purposes only.

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