What was found in Roanoke City's water
The level at the city's main supplier, the highest level anywhere in the city, the EPA limit for each, and where every figure comes from.
| Contaminant | Level vs EPA limit | Suppliers | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 1850 µg/L 19% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY · 182,700 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 898 µg/L 22% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY · 182,700 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 587.99 µg/L 45% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY · 182,700 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Chlorite | 150 µg/L 15% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Main supplier: WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY · 182,700 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 135 µg/L 6.8% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY · 182,700 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 75.71 µg/L 95% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY · 182,700 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 56.78 µg/L 95% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY · 182,700 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Lithium | 22.8 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY · 182,700 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| Arsenic | 15.23 µg/L 152% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 10 µg/L Main supplier: WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY · 182,700 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Cyanide | 8 µg/L 4% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L Main supplier: WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY · 182,700 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | 6.65 pCi/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY · 182,700 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Toluene | 5 µg/L 0.5% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Main supplier: WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY · 182,700 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 4.82 µg/L 32% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY · 182,700 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U | 3.905 pCi/L 26% of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L Main supplier: WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY · 182,700 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 3.3 pCi/L 66% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Main supplier: WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY · 182,700 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Antimony, Total | 2.769 µg/L 46% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L Main supplier: WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY · 182,700 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 1.7 µg/L 1.7% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY · 182,700 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 1.4 µg/L 2.8% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Main supplier: WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY · 182,700 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Benzene | 1.079 µg/L 22% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Main supplier: WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY · 182,700 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Carbon Tetrachloride | 0.7600 µg/L 15% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Main supplier: WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY · 182,700 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Cadmium | 0.6465 µg/L 13% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Main supplier: WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY · 182,700 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Xylenes, Total | 0.4570 µg/L 0% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY · 182,700 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Ethylbenzene | 0.4300 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 700 µg/L Main supplier: WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY · 182,700 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| 1,1-Dichloroethylene | 0.2233 µg/L 3.2% of the EPA limit 7 µg/L Main supplier: WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY · 182,700 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Beryllium, Total | 0.1955 µg/L 4.9% of the EPA limit 4 µg/L Main supplier: WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY · 182,700 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Thallium, Total | 0.0505 µg/L 2.5% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L Main supplier: WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY · 182,700 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroethylene | 0.0465 µg/L 0.9% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Main supplier: WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY · 182,700 people · 2019 | 1/1 | SYR4 |
| PFOA | 0.0089 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY · 182,700 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| PFOS | 0.0063 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY · 182,700 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfpea | 0.0062 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY · 182,700 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| Hfpo-Da | 0.0060 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY · 182,700 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfhxa | 0.0043 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY · 182,700 people · 2024 | 1/1 | UCMR-5 |
| Lead | 0.0 mg/L 0% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY · 182,700 people · 2025 | 1/1 | LCR |
Each bar shows the measured level as a share of the EPA limit: green is
well under, amber is close to it, red is over. For lead and copper the
limit applies to exactly the 90th-percentile figure shown, so red there
means a real exceedance. For everything else the limit applies to a
running annual average while the figure is the 95th percentile of the
system's samples — over 100% is worth reading, but is not by itself a
violation.
Formal violations are listed separately.
These are the utilities' own EPA-reported results, not a city-wide
average. A detection means the lab measured the
substance — it isn't the same as exceeding a legal limit. Hover a source
tag to see the EPA program and years behind each figure.
Water suppliers serving Roanoke City
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY | 182,700 |
Frequently asked questions about Roanoke City tap water
Is Roanoke City tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 33 contaminants in the water serving Roanoke City. A detection isn't the same as a violation — most detected levels are within federal limits. Check the level and source for each contaminant above, and your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for the official compliance status.
How many water suppliers serve Roanoke City?
1 public water supplier report drinking-water monitoring for Roanoke City, Virginia to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Roanoke City's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Roanoke City include Nitrate-Nitrite, Fluoride, Copper, Chlorite, Barium. The full list, with the level at the main supplier and the data source, is in the table above.
Where does this data come from?
Every figure is official EPA drinking-water monitoring — the Lead & Copper Rule, the UCMR-5 nationwide testing program, and the EPA Six-Year Review — not our own testing. Each number is labelled with its source and period.