Radionuclides · 2025
Gross Alpha in City of Newport News, VA tap water
City of Newport News, VA's 2025 report shows Gross Alpha detected, but the EPA has not set an enforceable federal limit for it.
The measurement
| Statistic | Value | Federal limit |
|---|---|---|
Maximum Max Conc | 0.6 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L MCLG |
Maximum Max Detected Level | Not detected pCi/L | 0 pCi/L MCLG |
Range System-wide | Not detected pCi/L | 0 pCi/L MCLG |
Range System-wide | Not detected pCi/L | 0 pCi/L MCLG |
Range System-wide | 0–0.6 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L MCLG |
Maximum Max Conc | Not detected pCi/L | 0 pCi/L MCLG |
Verbatim from City of Newport News, VA's 2025 Consumer Confidence Report — source document ↗
About Gross Alpha
Gross alpha particle activity — a combined measure of alpha-emitting radioactive substances.
Long-term exposure above the federal limit increases cancer risk.
How City of Newport News, VA compares
4 of the 186 systems measuring Gross Alpha on The Water Map have it at or above the federal limit:
Nearby systems also reporting Gross Alpha:
People also ask
+Is there Gross Alpha in City of Newport News, VA tap water?
Yes — City of Newport News, VA's 2025 Consumer Confidence Report lists Gross Alpha at 0.6 pCi/L. City of Newport News, VA's 2025 report shows Gross Alpha detected, but the EPA has not set an enforceable federal limit for it.
+What's the federal limit for Gross Alpha in drinking water?
The federal MCLG for Gross Alpha is 0 pCi/L. The EPA enforces this against the regulated reporting statistic (running annual average or 90th percentile), not a single-sample spike.
+What is Gross Alpha?
Gross alpha particle activity — a combined measure of alpha-emitting radioactive substances. Long-term exposure above the federal limit increases cancer risk.
+Which other U.S. cities have Gross Alpha over the federal limit?
4 of the 186 systems on The Water Map measuring Gross Alpha report it at or above the federal limit. Examples include Pomona, CA, Birmingham, AL, Burbank, CA.
+Where does this Gross Alpha measurement come from?
This page reproduces the Gross Alpha entry from the 2025 Consumer Confidence Report published by the City of Newport News, VA water utility — the annual drinking-water report every U.S. utility is required by federal law to publish. The original source document is archived at /water/va/newport-news/2025/source.