Newport News Water Quality Report
Review Newport News drinking-water sources, 2025 treatment and testing information, hardness, lead and copper results, PFAS monitoring and the official Newport News Waterworks report.
What the Latest Newport News Water Quality Report Shows
Newport News Waterworks' 2025 report covers the Lower Peninsula surface-water system that serves Newport News along with Hampton, Poquoson, York County and part of James City County. The report explains the water source, treatment process, regulated testing, lead and copper, PFAS, hardness and other characteristics of the public water supply.
Waterworks' compliance conclusion: the 2025 report states that Newport News Waterworks' drinking water met state and federal standards. Individual tables in the report provide the applicable limits, measured results, ranges and footnotes used for that conclusion.
Where Newport News Tap Water Comes From
The primary source is surface water from Diascund Creek Reservoir, supplemented by the Chickahominy River as weather patterns require. Water is transferred to Waterworks reservoirs for storage before treatment and distribution.
From Reservoir Water to Your Tap
Newport News Waterworks describes a multi-step treatment process for the Lower Peninsula supply.
Coagulation & Clarification
After screening, Waterworks adds alum and polymer so small particles combine and can be removed more effectively.
Ozone & Filtration
Ozone is used for disinfection, followed by filtration to remove remaining particles.
Final Water Conditioning
Lime adjusts pH, fluoride is added, zinc orthophosphate supports corrosion control, and chloramines maintain a disinfectant residual in the distribution system.
View the 2025 Newport News Water Quality Report
The document below is Newport News Waterworks' combined 2025 annual report. The Lower Peninsula report begins near the front of the PDF, followed by expanded Lower Peninsula data and a separate Lightfoot well-system report.
Highlights From Newport News Waterworks Testing
The table below highlights selected Lower Peninsula results from the 2025 report. The complete report includes additional results, ranges, definitions and footnotes.
| Substance or Measure | Reported Result | Standard or Context | Report Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barium | 0.026 ppm highest reportable result | MCL 2 ppm | Meets state & federal standards |
| Fluoride | 0.77 ppm highest reportable result | MCL 4 ppm | Meets state & federal standards |
| Nitrate | 0.065 ppm highest reportable result | MCL 10 ppm | Meets state & federal standards |
| Nitrite | 0.003 ppm highest reportable result | MCL 1 ppm | Meets state & federal standards |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | 21 ppb highest reportable result | MCL 80 ppb | Meets state & federal standards |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 21 ppb highest reportable result | MCL 60 ppb | Meets state & federal standards |
| Lead | 90th percentile <1.0 ppb | Action level 15 ppb | No individual sample exceeded the action level |
| Copper | 90th percentile about 0.10 ppm | Action level 1.3 ppm | No individual sample exceeded the action level |
| Total Chlorine (Chloramines) | 3.3 ppm system-wide annual running average | MRDL 4.0 ppm | Meets state & federal standards |
| Hardness | 69 mg/L average | 63–75 mg/L range as CaCO₃ | Waterworks describes the water as moderately hard |
Some compliance values are based on running averages and include prior-year samples as described in the report footnotes. Read the complete PDF for the exact calculation method and full context.
PFAS Results in the 2025 Lower Peninsula Expanded Data
The expanded 2025 data lists six PFAS compounds with reported detections or ranges. These measurements are shown here as reported by Newport News Waterworks, without treating them as a property-specific faucet test.
| PFAS Compound | Minimum Reporting Level | Maximum Reported | Reported Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) | 2.0 ppt | 3.3 ppt | 2.1–3.3 ppt |
| Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) | 2.0 ppt | 4.9 ppt | 3.7–4.9 ppt |
| Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) | 2.0 ppt | 3.7 ppt | <2.0–3.7 ppt |
| Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) | 2.0 ppt | 3.8 ppt | 2.6–3.8 ppt |
| Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) | 2.0 ppt | 3.5 ppt | <2.0–3.5 ppt |
| Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA) | 2.0 ppt | 3.6 ppt | 2.5–3.6 ppt |
Property-level context: system monitoring describes the public water supply; it does not establish the exact PFAS concentration at an individual kitchen faucet. Specialized contaminant testing requires appropriate sampling and laboratory analysis.
Other Water Characteristics Reported for 2025
- HardnessAverage 69 mg/L as calcium carbonate, with a 63–75 mg/L range. Waterworks calls this moderately hard.
- pHThe expanded Lower Peninsula data reports pH ranging from 7.2 to 8.2.
- SodiumThe report lists an average of 12.6 mg/L, with a 12.4–12.8 mg/L range.
- Total Dissolved SolidsThe expanded data lists an average of 120 mg/L, with a range of 109–131 mg/L.
These system-wide values are useful for understanding municipal water, but plumbing, water age and treatment equipment inside a home can affect what a homeowner experiences at a particular tap.
What the Newport News Water Quality Report Does—and Does Not—Tell You
A Consumer Confidence Report is designed to explain the public water system, its monitoring and its regulatory results. It is not a complete diagnosis of water at one individual property.
What the Report Tells You
- Where the Lower Peninsula municipal drinking water comes from.
- How Newport News Waterworks treats the supply.
- Selected regulated and additional water-quality results.
- How reported compliance values compare with applicable limits.
- System information about lead, copper, PFAS, hardness and other measures.
What It May Not Tell You
- The exact water quality at one faucet on one day.
- What may be contributed by an individual home's plumbing.
- Whether a private well has the same conditions as municipal water.
- Which treatment system, if any, best matches a particular household goal.
Explore the Water Concern That Matters to Your Home
Water Problems
Compare local report data, disinfection byproducts, EWG health-guideline context and other supported Newport News water concerns.
Explore Newport News water problems →Reverse Osmosis
Learn about point-of-use drinking-water filtration for the kitchen and refrigerator where appropriate.
Explore Newport News reverse osmosis →Water Conditioners
See whole-home conditioning options for hardness, scale and other supported household water goals.
Explore Newport News water conditioners →Newport News Water Quality Report FAQs
What is the latest Newport News Water Quality Report?
The latest supplied Newport News Waterworks report is the 2025 Combined Annual Report. It includes the Lower Peninsula surface-water report, expanded Lower Peninsula data, a separate Lightfoot well-system report and expanded Lightfoot data.
Where does Newport News drinking water come from?
The primary source is surface water from Diascund Creek Reservoir, supplemented by the Chickahominy River as weather patterns require. Waterworks stores the water in five reservoirs that supply two treatment plants.
Is Newport News water hard?
Newport News Waterworks describes the treated Lower Peninsula water as moderately hard. For 2025, the report lists an average hardness of 69 mg/L as calcium carbonate and a range of 63 to 75 mg/L.
Does Newport News use chloramine?
Yes. The 2025 report says chloramines are added as the secondary disinfectant to maintain disinfection while water moves through the distribution system.
Were PFAS reported in the 2025 Newport News data?
Yes. The 2025 expanded Lower Peninsula data lists PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFBA, PFHxA and PFPeA with reported maximum values or ranges. The complete table is included in the official PDF.
Does this report describe private well water in Newport News?
No. The Lower Peninsula municipal report describes the public surface-water system. Private-well water can vary by property and should be evaluated separately.
Want to Understand the Water at Your Newport News Home?
Use the city report for system-wide context, then schedule an in-home evaluation if you want to discuss hardness, taste, odor, scale or treatment options for your household.
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