Water Quality Report · Updated October 07, 2026
WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY
WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY delivers tap water graded D (62/100) by TapWaterSafety.org. The utility serves approximately 182,700 residents in ROANOKE CITY, Virginia using surface water. The most significant water quality concerns are: PFAS contamination; Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline; Haloacetic acids (HAA5) significantly above health guideline; Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) significantly above health guideline; Arsenic detected.
Is ROANOKE CITY tap water safe to drink?
WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY delivers tap water that earns a grade of D (62/100) from TapWaterSafety.org — a below-average rating, with multiple concerns including pfas contamination.
The utility serves 182,700 residents in ROANOKE CITY, drawing from surface water.
Public testing data identifies 14 contaminants in this water above EWG's health-based guidelines, including: Haloacetic acids (HAA9), Haloacetic acids (HAA5), Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Trichloroacetic acid, Chloroform, Bromodichloromethane, Arsenic, Dichloroacetic acid, Radium, combined (-226 and -228), Chromium (hexavalent), Dibromochloromethane, Nitrate and nitrite, Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). For most residents, a properly certified home filter at the kitchen tap is the most cost-effective way to reduce exposure to whatever's in your water. See our filter recommendations below, matched specifically to this utility's contaminant profile.
EPA compliance record
Official U.S. EPA records for WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY (system ID VA2770900) for the last 3 years. Checked 2026-10-07.
Source: U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO), from the Safe Drinking Water Information System. See EPA's full report.
Quick actions for ROANOKE CITY residents
Top concerns in this water
Based on the most recent EPA and EWG data, these are the most significant water quality issues for WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY.
PFAS contamination
Severe concernPerfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) detected. PFAS are persistent chemicals linked to cancer and immune effects with no known safe exposure threshold.
Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernHaloacetic acids (HAA9) detected at 32.3 ppb, 538x above the EWG health guideline of 0.06 ppb.
Haloacetic acids (HAA5) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernHaloacetic acids (HAA5) detected at 24.1 ppb, 241x above the EWG health guideline of 0.1 ppb.
Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernTotal trihalomethanes (TTHMs) detected at 34.9 ppb, 233x above the EWG health guideline of 0.15 ppb.
Arsenic detected
Moderate concernArsenic detected at 0.207 ppb.
Contact WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY
Reach the utility directly for service issues, water quality concerns, or to request your Consumer Confidence Report.
General Contact
Treatment Plant
Recommended water filters for ROANOKE CITY
Filters matched to the specific contaminants in this water supply.
Filter certified for PFOA/PFOS (NSF/ANSI 53 or 58)
$180-$750Reverse osmosis and some carbon block filters reduce PFAS. Look for certification to NSF/ANSI 53 or 58 for PFOA/PFOS.
Carbon filter certified for VOCs (NSF/ANSI 53)
$180-$599Activated carbon is effective for disinfection byproducts. Look for NSF/ANSI 53 VOC reduction.
Reverse osmosis certified for arsenic (NSF/ANSI 58)
$429-$599Reverse osmosis certified under NSF/ANSI 58 for arsenic is the most reliable home option.
Disclosure: TapWaterSafety earns a commission from purchases made through these links. This does not influence our scoring methodology or filter selection.
Score breakdown
This utility's overall score of 62/100 breaks down across five weighted components. Read the full methodology →
Contaminants detected — international standards comparison
Every contaminant detected, compared side-by-side against US EPA legal limits, the EU Drinking Water Directive (2020/2184), WHO Guidelines, and California's Public Health Goal (the strictest US benchmark). Why we show multiple standards →
| Contaminant | Detected | EWG US health-based |
EPA US legal |
EU DWD Europe |
WHO global |
CA PHG strictest US |
Tested sample year |
Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haloacetic acids (HAA9) Disinfection byproduct |
32.3 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 538× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
24.1 ppb | 0.1 | 60.0 | 60 | — | — | — | 241× over |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
34.9 ppb | 0.15 | 80.0 | 100 | — | — | — | 233× over |
| Trichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
13.2 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 132× over |
| Chloroform Disinfection byproduct |
30.4 ppb | 0.4 | — | — | — | — | — | 76× over |
| Bromodichloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
4.07 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 68× over |
| Arsenic Heavy metal |
0.207 ppb | 0.004 | 10.0 | 10 | 10 | 0.004 | — | 52× over |
| Dichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
10.4 ppb | 0.2 | — | — | — | — | — | 52× over |
| Radium, combined (-226 and -228) Radiological |
0.4 pCi/L | 0.05 | 5.0 | — | — | — | — | 8.0× over |
| Chromium (hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.148 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | 7.4× over |
| Dibromochloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
0.374 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 3.7× over |
| Nitrate and nitrite Inorganic |
0.41 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | 2.9× over |
| Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) PFAS |
0.792 ppt | 0.3 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 1 | — | 2.6× over |
| Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) PFAS |
0.234 ppt | 0.09 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 0.007 | — | 2.6× over |
| Chlorate Disinfection byproduct |
69.9 ppb | 210.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Cadmium Heavy metal |
0.00571 ppb | 0.04 | 5.0 | 5 | 3 | 0.04 | — | Below guideline |
| Manganese Heavy metal |
10.2 ppb | 100.0 | — | 50 | 80 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Barium Heavy metal |
48.5 ppb | 700.0 | 2000.0 | — | 1300 | 2000 | — | Below guideline |
| Thallium Heavy metal |
0.00586 ppb | 0.1 | 2.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| 1,4-Dioxane Semi-volatile organic compound |
0.0194 ppb | 0.35 | — | — | 50 | 1 | — | Below guideline |
| Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA) Other |
0.158 ppt | 9.0 | 10.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Antimony Heavy metal |
0.0165 ppb | 1.0 | 6.0 | 10 | 20 | 1 | — | Below guideline |
| Aluminum Heavy metal |
8.82 ppb | 600.0 | — | 200 | — | 600 | — | Below guideline |
| Monochloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.613 ppb | 53.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Molybdenum Other |
0.426 ppb | 40.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Beryllium Heavy metal |
0.00621 ppb | 1.0 | 4.0 | — | — | 1 | — | Below guideline |
| Vanadium Other |
0.105 ppb | 21.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Selenium Heavy metal |
0.07 ppb | 30.0 | 50.0 | 20 | 40 | 30 | — | Below guideline |
| Cobalt Other |
0.0965 ppb | 70.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Strontium Radiological |
0.302 ppb | 1500.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoropentanoic Acid (PFPeA) PFAS |
0.163 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA) PFAS |
0.113 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Chlorodifluoromethane Other |
0.0039 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Chromium (total) Heavy metal |
0.557 ppb | — | 100.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Fluoride Inorganic |
0.695 ppm | — | 4.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Lithium Other |
9.93 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Silver Other |
0.0323 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
All values in the unit of the detected level. Red cells indicate the detected level exceeds that standard. Some contaminants have limits in some jurisdictions but not others (shown as —). The "Tested" column shows the year each contaminant sample was collected.
Sources: US EPA, EU Drinking Water Directive 2020/2184, WHO Guidelines (4th ed.), California OEHHA PHGs, EWG Tap Water Database.
WESTERN VIRGINIA WATER AUTHORITY service area
This water system serves 1 community in County, Virginia. Click any city for its dedicated tap water quality page.
Find the right filter for ROANOKE CITY water
Browse filter categories by water-quality concern. Each option below is NSF-certified for the matched contaminant type.