Is Alexandria, VA tap water safe?
Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it
Summary
Fairfax County Water Authority, the largest system here, had PFAS above the 2024 federal limits (PFOA) in EPA's 2023–2025 testing.
Is it an emergency? No: PFAS limits are about years of exposure, not a glass of water, and nothing in EPA's data calls for you to stop drinking the water today. If your utility issues a boil-water or do-not-drink notice, follow it.
2 public water systems serve parts of Alexandria. The largest, Fairfax County Water Authority, serves 1.1 million people, and one system here had PFAS above a federal limit. Your water bill names your system.
Largest system
Fairfax County Water Authority
1.1 million people · Surface water · EPA ID VA6059501
Buys treated water from Washington Aqueduct Division..
| PFAS | Highest average | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| PFOA Above limit | 4.63 ppt | 4 ppt |
| PFOS One sample above limit | 2.6 ppt | 4 ppt |
| PFHxS Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| PFNA Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
ppt = parts per trillion. "Highest average" is the highest average at any of the system's entry points, the way EPA compares results with the limits.
For context: the PFOA average is higher than at 96% of the Virginia systems EPA tested.
Lead: 1.2 ppb at the 90th percentile (Dec 2023, and 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below it) Below action level
Health-based violations since 2016: 0
Across Virginia, 12 of 164 water systems EPA tested had PFAS above a 2024 federal limit, and 3 systems were above the lead action level in results from the last five years. Virginia results.
Alexandria homes and lead pipes
Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so homes from before then are the ones to check. Renting? Ask your landlord what the service line is made of, because it's their pipe to replace. How to check your own line.
Housing: Census American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for Alexandria city (tables B25034, B25003). Estimates for small places have a margin of error.
Other water systems serving Alexandria
How nearby cities compare
| City | PFAS | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|---|
| Herndon 19 mi Fairfax County Water Authority | Above limit | 1.2 ppb |
| Manassas 22 mi Prince William Water – West | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Leesburg 32 mi Town of Leesburg | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Fredericksburg 42 mi City of Fredericksburg | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Winchester 64 mi City of Winchester | None above limits | 2.7 ppb |
| Richmond 91 mi City of Richmond | None above limits | 3.59 ppb |
Alexandria ZIP codes (6)
- 22301
- 22302
- 22304
- 22305
- 22311
- 22314
Questions
Is Alexandria tap water safe to drink?
Fairfax County Water Authority has had no health-based violations since 2016, and EPA testing found PFAS above the 2024 federal limits, which it must meet by 2029. Utility data can't show lead from your own pipes: if your home was built before 1986, test your tap. Your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report is the official summary.
Who supplies water in Alexandria, VA?
2 public water systems serve parts of Alexandria. The largest is Fairfax County Water Authority (1.1 million people). Your water bill names your system. The EPA ID is also on your utility's Consumer Confidence Report.
Does Alexandria tap water have PFAS?
Yes. EPA's 2023–2025 testing found entry-point averages above the 2024 federal limits for PFOA at Fairfax County Water Authority. Systems have until 2029 to meet them.
Do Alexandria homes have lead pipes?
Census estimates put 60% of Alexandria homes as built before 1980 (Virginia: 44%). Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so older homes are more likely to have them. Fairfax County Water Authority's service line inventory says what your line is made of. The only way to know for your home is to check the line where it enters the house and test your tap.
Source: U.S. EPA drinking water records and PFAS testing (UCMR 5). How we read the data.