Portsmouth Tap Water Quality Report
Portsmouth's water has 3 contaminants above EPA MCLGs. Consider using a certified water filter for additional protection.
1 other system serving parts of Portsmouth reports results above guidelines — check which system bills you. NORFOLK NAVAL SHIPYARD (2 above guidelines)
Other systems listed for Portsmouth with results above guidelines: CITY OF CHESAPEAKE - WESTERN BRANCH SYS (2 above guidelines), NORFOLK, CITY OF (3 above guidelines)
Water system
PORTSMOUTH, CITY OF
1 other system also serves parts of Portsmouth. 2 other systems are listed for Portsmouth. See their figures
People Served
120,000
Health-based violations since 2020
0
PORTSMOUTH, CITY OF. EPA SDWA violation data as of Q2 2026 (downloaded 2026-07-09).
Latest sample on file
Jan 2025 · PORTSMOUTH, CITY OF
Utilities publish newer results in their annual water quality report (Consumer Confidence Report).
Is Portsmouth Tap Water Safe to Drink?
We recommend using a certified water filter for additional protection, especially for vulnerable populations like children, pregnant women, and those with compromised immune systems. Portsmouth's water has 3 contaminants above EPA health-based guidelines (MCLGs), while it meets federal legal limits.
PORTSMOUTH, CITY OF, Portsmouth's water system, serves 120,000 people. 1 other system also serves parts of Portsmouth. 2 other systems are listed for Portsmouth. Each system's results are listed under its own name, never added to PORTSMOUTH, CITY OF's. Water quality testing is conducted regularly and reported to the EPA. The latest sample on file for PORTSMOUTH, CITY OF is from Jan 2025.
Boil water advisories are issued by water systems and state agencies, and they change from day to day. Boil water advisories in Virginia
Portsmouth Water Service Areas
What these numbers actually mean for Portsmouth, VA
We read Portsmouth, VA’s published record and send you a short report — which findings warrant a decision, which to ignore, and what to do about it. Including when the answer is nothing.
- 3 contaminants above EPA MCLGs and 7 contaminants with an EPA health goal detected in some samples (no level on file)
- 121 results on file
- 23 PFAS compounds on record
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Recommended Water Filters for Portsmouth
Based on Portsmouth's water quality data, these NSF-certified filters are recommended to remove contaminants above EPA MCLGs.
Solventum Purification Inc.
3MRO401
NSF Certified:
Daily Production
11.48 gpd
Highlights:
- NSF-58 certified reverse osmosis system
- 11.48 GPD production capacity
- Reduces total dissolved solids (TDS) for purer water
Removes 15 contaminants:
+10 more
Copper, Cryptosporidium, Fluoride, Lead, Radium 226, Radium 228, Radium, combined (-226 & -228), Selenium, Total Dissolved Solids, Turbidity
Solventum Purification Inc.
3MRO301
NSF Certified:
Daily Production
11.48 gpd
Highlights:
- NSF-58 certified reverse osmosis system
- 11.48 GPD production capacity
- Reduces total dissolved solids (TDS) for purer water
Removes 15 contaminants:
+10 more
Copper, Cryptosporidium, Fluoride, Lead, Radium 226, Radium 228, Radium, combined (-226 & -228), Selenium, Total Dissolved Solids, Turbidity
Culligan
ZeroWater
NSF Certified:
Flow Rate
1.9 gpm
Daily Production
1 gpd
Highlights:
- Compact design
- Easy to set up
- Affordable
- NSF-42, NSF-53, NSF-401 certified
Removes 19 contaminants:
+14 more
Strontium, Molybdenum, Fluoride, Uranium, Lead, Total PFAS, Chlorine, 25, Phosphorus, Bicarbonate, Calcium, Carbonate, Magnesium, Sodium
Santevia
Bath Filter
NSF Certified:
Flow Rate
0.36 gpm
Highlights:
- Organic cotton design reduces plastic used in construction
- Affordable upfront & ongoing cost
- The only bath filter that removed 100% chlorine with “normal” faster faucet flow
Removes 1 contaminants:
Verify Your Water Quality with Independent Testing
With 3 contaminants above EPA MCLGs and 7 contaminants with an EPA health goal detected in some samples (no level on file), independent laboratory testing provides a second opinion and can track changes over time.
SimpleLab
Advanced Home Water Test
$269
Comprehensive water analysis testing over 200 contaminants including bacteria, heavy metals, and chemical compounds.
Tap Score
Haloacetic Acids (HAA9) Test
$275
Tests for disinfection byproducts formed when chlorine reacts with organic matter in water treatment.
Tap Score
Advanced Microplastics Test
$829
Cutting-edge testing for microplastics particles in drinking water using advanced laboratory techniques.
With 3 contaminants above health guidelines, you may want to explore water purification options. Learn how to make distilled water at home for applications like humidifiers, CPAP machines, and baby formula.
What Portsmouth's water readings can explain
Utility-reported data for Portsmouth includes sulfate and a chlorine-based disinfectant — the readings behind these common tap water questions. We publish a city-level hardness figure for Portsmouth, resolved from its water systems where they report one and estimated from county sampling where they do not. Each page starts with the hot-tap and cold-tap check, then shows what your own water system reported.
On a private well near Portsmouth? Public-water results do not apply to private wells. See Portsmouth city well water testing and USGS risk data — modeled arsenic, nitrate, and the tests to run.
Water softener cost and installation in Portsmouth
Portsmouth's tap water measures 1.2 grains per gallon (21.0 mg/L) — soft on the USGS scale, below the range where scale is usually worth treating.
Water softener cost for 1.2 gpg water in Portsmouth — equipment and local installation labour for your ZIP code, with the sizing arithmetic shown in full. For the national picture first, read what a water softener costs — equipment, installation labour and ten-year ownership, each separated out. For Virginia as a whole, read water softener cost in Virginia — priced against the plumber wage published for the state.
Frequently Asked Questions About Portsmouth Tap Water
Portsmouth's water has 3 contaminants above EPA MCLGs. While the water meets federal legal limits, we recommend using a certified water filter for additional protection, especially for vulnerable populations like children, pregnant women, and those with compromised immune systems.
Spotted something off on this page?
Residents keep our data honest.
This form corrects our data; it does not reach PORTSMOUTH, CITY OF. For a problem with your water now (discolored water, no water, low pressure, a leak), contact PORTSMOUTH, CITY OF directly.
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