Drinking water quality · 2023
· Verified
What's in Norfolk, VA tap water
15 contaminants were measured in the Norfolk, VA water system's 2023 annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit.
- Reporting year
- 2023
- Contaminants measured
- 15
- Over federal limit
- 0
- Approaching the limit
- 0
- Service area
- VA
PFAS — EPA UCMR5 (2023–2025)
1 PFAS compound above EPA limits in Norfolk, VA
The EPA finalized the first-ever federal drinking-water limits for six PFAS compounds in April 2024. These numbers come straight from EPA's UCMR5 lab dataset — every U.S. system serving more than 3,300 people tested every PFAS sample at an entry point to its distribution system. PFAS not listed below were either tested and not detected, or not yet sampled.
PFOS (Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid)
● Over EPA limit (1.4×)below national p90 (19.900000000000006 ng/L across detecting U.S. systems)
PFPeA
● Detected (no federal limit)below national p90 (15.95999999999999 ng/L across detecting U.S. systems)
PFHxA
● Detected (no federal limit)below national p90 (12.190000000000003 ng/L across detecting U.S. systems)
Where your water comes from · EPA SDWIS
Norfolk, VA's drinking water comes from surface water, drawn from 25 sources.
Source
- WELL NO. · 4
- NAVY WELL NO · 2
- NOTTOWAY RIVER · 2
- STUMPY LAKE · 2
- + 13 more
Treatment
- KRISTEN M. LENTZ WTP
- MOORES BRIDGES WTP
Distribution
Historical readings · EPA Six-Year Review (2012–2019)
1 contaminant historically over EPA limits in Norfolk, VA
Every U.S. public water system reports compliance-monitoring data to EPA. The Six-Year Review releases the 2012–2019 window as a single dataset — here's what your system reported, year by year. Values shown are the highest detection per analyte per year, compared to the federal MCL.
| Contaminant | Worst detection | EPA limit | Years (2012–2019) |
|---|---|---|---|
HAA5 worst: 2016 | 0.061 mg/L 1.0× | 0.06 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
TTHM worst: 2012 | 0.0761 mg/L 95% | 0.08 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
GROSS BETA worst: 2012 | 3.3 mrem/yr 83% | 4 mrem/yr | '12'15 |
THALLIUM worst: 2019 | 0.001 mg/L within | 0.002 mg/L | '19 |
BERYLLIUM worst: 2019 | 0.001 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.004 mg/L | '19 |
FLUORIDE worst: 2013 | 0.79 mg/L within | 4 mg/L | '13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
ANTIMONY worst: 2019 | 0.001 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.006 mg/L | '19 |
ARSENIC worst: 2019 | 0.0011 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.01 mg/L | '19 |
SELENIUM worst: 2019 | 0.0052 mg/L within | 0.05 mg/L | '19 |
CADMIUM worst: 2019 | 0.0005 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.005 mg/L | '19 |
DBCP worst: 2016 | 0.000012 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.0002 mg/L | '16'18 |
BARIUM worst: 2019 | 0.099 mg/L within below national p90 | 2 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
NITRATE worst: 2013 | 0.33 mg/L within | 10 mg/L | '12'13 |
NITRATE NITRITE worst: 2013 | 0.33 mg/L within | 10 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
ATRAZINE worst: 2016 | 0.000094 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.003 mg/L | '14'16'17'18'19 |
TWOFOURD worst: 2014 | 0.00035 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.07 mg/L | '14'18 |
RADIUM 226 228 worst: 2012 | 0.01 pCi/L within below national p90 | 5 pCi/L | '12'13 |
HEXACHLOROCYCLOPENTADIENE worst: 2016 | 0.000054 mg/L within | 0.05 mg/L | '16 |
DALAPON worst: 2016 | 0.0013 ug/L within below national p90 | 200 ug/L | '13'14'15'16 |
COPPER worst: 2014 | 0.387 mg/L below national p90 | — | '14'17'19 |
DBAA worst: 2012 | 0.001 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'18'19 |
DCAA worst: 2012 | 0.023 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
MBAA worst: 2015 | 0.0044 mg/L | — | '15'18 |
MCAA worst: 2012 | 0.0027 mg/L | — | '12'15'16'18'19 |
TCAA worst: 2012 | 0.025 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
BROMODICHLOROMETHANE worst: 2012 | 0.0183 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
CHLOROFORM worst: 2012 | 0.0539 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
DIBROMOCHLOROMETHANE worst: 2012 | 0.0039 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
Disinfectants
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChloramineA longer-lasting disinfectant made by combining chlorine with ammonia. | 3.3 mg/LAverageNorfolk's Average Level | 42 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
+By source (2)— Norfolk's Measured, Norfolk's Average Level
| |||
| ChlorineA disinfectant added to drinking water to kill bacteria and viruses. | 2.7 mg/LAverageNorfolk's Average Level | 42 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
+By source (2)— Norfolk's Measured, Norfolk's Average Level
| |||
Inorganic chemicals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cyanide | 0.011 mg/LAverageNorfolk's Average Level | 0.2 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
+By source (2)— Norfolk's Measured, Norfolk's Average Level
| |||
Metals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| LeadA toxic metal that leaches into water from old service lines, solder, and plumbing fixtures. | 0 ug/LReported levelNorfolk Homes Exceeding Action Level | 15 ug/LAction level | None detected |
Physical & aggregate
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| TOCTotal organic carbon — a measure of organic material dissolved in the water. | 47–70 %RangeSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| TurbidityA measure of cloudiness from suspended particles in the water. | 0.12 NTUMaximumSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
People also ask about Norfolk, VA's water
+Is Norfolk, VA tap water safe to drink in 2023?
Every one of the 15 contaminants measured in Norfolk, VA's 2023 Consumer Confidence Report is below its federal limit. "Safe" under the EPA's drinking-water standards is health-based, not aesthetic — but by those standards, no measured contaminant in this report exceeds its enforceable threshold. Individual health concerns (e.g. immunocompromised, infant, pregnancy) may warrant additional filtering regardless of compliance.
+What contaminants are in Norfolk, VA tap water?
15 contaminants were measured in Norfolk, VA's 2023 Consumer Confidence Report, spanning inorganic chemicals, metals, and pfas ("forever chemicals"). 11 have an enforceable federal limit; the rest are detected but unregulated. Every measured value, in the utility's own units, is on this page.
+Where does the data on this page come from?
Every value is transcribed from Norfolk, VA's 2023 Consumer Confidence Report — the annual drinking-water report every U.S. public water utility is required by federal law to publish. The original source document is archived and viewable on this site. A water-quality report covers an entire service area, not a single address.
+How often is Norfolk, VA's water quality data updated?
Each U.S. public water utility publishes one Consumer Confidence Report per year, covering the prior calendar year's measurements. This page reflects the 2023 report; a new report will replace it once the utility publishes its next annual update.