Virginia
Virginia sits in the South and draws its water primarily from Potomac River, James River, and coastal aquifers. With roughly 8.7 million residents, the state has an established water reuse program, reusing an estimated 21% of its treated wastewater.
Virginiawater quality & safety
Top violation drivers in Virginia
| Contaminant / rule | Systems |
|---|---|
| TTHM | 47 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 47 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | 35 |
| Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule | 25 |
| Groundwater Rule | 10 |
| LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS | 7 |
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1 · health-based violations since 2016
Hampton Roads' SWIFT project injects purified water into the Potomac Aquifer to fight both depletion and land subsidence — a leading East Coast reuse effort.
On the U.S. Drought Monitor scale, Virginia currently tracks around severe to extreme conditions. Virginia has 1,052 community water systems serving about 7 million people; EPA records show 159 of them (15.1%) with a health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violation since 2016. The pages below break down the water issues that matter most here and the communities working on solutions.
Drought history — severe+ extent
% of Virginia in severe drought or worse (D2+) each late summer.
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor (NDMC/UNL, USDA, NOAA) · latest 2026-06-09
Water use (USGS 2015)
- Per-capita (public supply)
- 102 gpcd
- Total withdrawals
- 6.7 Bgal/d
- From groundwater
- 6.6%
- Irrigation share
- 0.8%
- Wastewater reused (est.)
- ~21%
Primary water sources
- ≈ Potomac River
- ≈ James River
- ≈ coastal aquifers
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Virginia?
Virginia has 1,052 community water systems serving about 7 million people. EPA records show 159 of them (15.1%) with at least one health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violation since 2016, and 7 system(s) over the federal lead action level. Most large systems meet standards; check your specific city and your utility's annual report.
What contaminants are most common in Virginia's water?
The most frequent health-based violations involve TTHM, Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), Revised Total Coliform Rule.
How much water does Virginia use per person?
Public water systems in Virginia withdraw about 102 gallons per person per day (USGS 2015), drawing 6.6% of fresh water from groundwater.
How bad is the drought in Virginia?
As of 2026-06-09, 100% of Virginia is in drought (D1+) and 87.7% is in severe drought or worse, per the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Cities in Virginia
21 trackedVirginia Beach
Virginia Beach, VA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Chesapeake
Chesapeake, VA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Norfolk
Hampton Roads' SWIFT project purifies wastewater and injects it deep underground to replenish the Potomac Aquifer, fighting both groundwater depletion and land subsidence on the flood-prone coast.
Richmond
Richmond, VA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Arlington
Arlington, VA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Newport News
Newport News, VA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Alexandria
Alexandria, VA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
East Hampton
East Hampton, VA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Hampton
Hampton, VA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Roanoke
Roanoke, VA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Portsmouth Heights
Portsmouth Heights, VA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Portsmouth
Portsmouth, VA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Key issues in Virginia
Saltwater Intrusion
As coastal aquifers are over-pumped and seas rise, saltwater pushes inland and contaminates freshwater supplies for cities from Florida to California.
ExploreAging Infrastructure
Much of America's water infrastructure is decades past its design life, leaking trillions of gallons a year and demanding hundreds of billions in reinvestment.
ExplorePotable Reuse
Advanced purification turns treated wastewater into water that meets or exceeds drinking-water standards — increasingly essential in water-stressed regions.
Explore