Is Richmond, VA Tap Water Safe to Drink?

Where Does Richmond Get Its Water?

Richmond, VA is served by three public water systems: the City of Richmond, Chesterfield County Central Water System, and Henrico County Water System. Together they cover all 33 ZIP codes in the area. All three systems draw from surface water sources in the region.

The major treatment facilities documented for this area include the Richmond Water Treatment Plant and the Henrico Water Treatment Plant. The A-E Water Treatment Plant and the ARWA Water Treatment Plant also serve portions of the regional system.

Chesterfield County and Henrico County operate their own treatment infrastructure that ties into the broader regional supply. The systems are interconnected in places, which means the finished water reaching your tap may flow through more than one utility's infrastructure depending on where you live.

How Is Richmond Tap Water Treated?

The water systems serving Richmond use a multi-step treatment process that includes coagulation, pressure sand filtration, slow sand filtration, and both granular activated carbon and powdered activated carbon. These steps remove sediment, organic matter, and many chemical contaminants before water reaches your home.

Disinfection is handled through a combination of approaches including ozone, chlorine applied before filtration, and chlorine applied after filtration. Ozone is a powerful oxidant that breaks down organic compounds and kills pathogens. Chlorine residual is maintained through distribution to keep the water microbiologically safe as it travels through pipes to your tap.

The use of granular activated carbon and powdered activated carbon is notable because both materials are effective at reducing certain organic contaminants including some PFAS compounds. Their presence in the treatment train suggests the utilities have invested in treatment steps beyond basic filtration.

What's in Richmond Tap Water?

The most widely detected contaminants in recent EPA testing are PFAS compounds, a group of synthetic chemicals. PFTrDA was detected across sampling zones at a maximum of 0.007 micrograms per liter, exactly at EPA's drinking water standard of 0.007 micrograms per liter. HFPO-DA, PFBA, and 11Cl-PF3OUdS were each detected at up to 0.005 micrograms per liter. None of these exceeded EPA limits.

Lithium was also detected across all 33 ZIP codes at a maximum of 9 micrograms per liter. There is no federal enforceable maximum contaminant level for lithium in drinking water. The detected level does not exceed any EPA health reference benchmark based on the available data.

PFAS compounds typically enter water sources through industrial discharges, firefighting foam used at military or airport sites, and consumer product manufacturing. Their presence in water supplies is a national issue, and EPA has recently moved to regulate several of them for the first time. Lithium occurs naturally in some source waters and can also come from industrial activity.

Health Risk Profile for Richmond

For most residents, the levels detected in Richmond's water do not represent an immediate health risk. PFTrDA was measured at its EPA drinking water standard of 0.007 micrograms per liter, meaning it is at but not above the federal limit. The other PFAS compounds detected were below their respective benchmarks, and lithium was below any non-regulatory screening level in the available data.

Infants, pregnant individuals, and people with weakened immune systems are generally more sensitive to chemical exposures in drinking water. For these groups, even low levels of PFAS may warrant extra caution given ongoing scientific research into long-term health effects at low concentrations. Consulting a healthcare provider about personal risk is reasonable for these households.

For PFAS specifically, look for a filter certified to NSF/ANSI 58 (reverse osmosis) or NSF/ANSI P473 (for PFAS reduction in pitcher or under-sink filters). NSF/ANSI is an independent third-party certification that tells you the filter has been tested and verified to reduce the contaminants listed on the label. A filter bearing one of those certifications is the most reliable option for reducing PFAS at the tap.

The science on low-level PFAS exposure is still evolving, and EPA continues to refine its guidance. The fact that no detected value exceeded an EPA limit in this dataset is a positive sign. Still, because PFTrDA was detected right at its standard, households with infants or pregnancy may reasonably choose to use a certified filter as a precaution.