Charleston
Charleston, WV water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
wvawc-kanawha valley dist
surface water (rivers/reservoirs) · private · PWSID WV3302016
Below EPA's 15 ppb lead action level at last testing.
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1
Charleston, WV is a small but growing city, with a population near 49,736 and the largest community in West Virginia. Like much of West Virginia, Charleston draws its water primarily from Ohio River, Kanawha River, and aquifers.
Charleston's water outlook is shaped most by aging infrastructure — the issue that dominates planning across West Virginia. The 2014 Elk River chemical spill exposed source-water vulnerability that still informs policy.
Charleston sits in a state that reuses roughly 3% of treated wastewater (minimal programs) and currently experiences moderate to severe drought.
For the bigger picture, see the West Virginia state water profile and the related issues below.
Kanawha County water quality
Source: EPA SDWIS · 2026 Q1
At a glance
- Population ~49,736 (largest in West Virginia)
- Primary sources: Ohio River, Kanawha River, and aquifers
- Drought: moderate to severe conditions
- State reuse rate: ~3% of wastewater
Statewide drought history
% of West Virginia in severe+ drought (Severe (D2) now).
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Charleston?
Charleston's largest water system, WVAWC-KANAWHA VALLEY DIST, serves about 209,283 people. EPA records show 0 health-based violation(s) since 2016 and a most-recent 90th-percentile lead level of 0 ppb (EPA action level is 15 ppb). Always check your own provider's annual Consumer Confidence Report.
Where does Charleston get its water?
WVAWC-KANAWHA VALLEY DIST draws primarily from surface water (rivers/reservoirs), part of West Virginia's supply from Ohio River, Kanawha River, aquifers.
Related water issues
Aging 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.
ExplorePFAS Contamination
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances persist in water supplies for decades. New federal limits are forcing utilities nationwide to invest in advanced treatment.
Explore