Is Hampton, VA tap water safe?
Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it
Summary
No federal limits exceeded in EPA data for City of Newport News. 5 PFAS were detected below the limits.
3 public water systems serve parts of Hampton. The largest, City of Newport News, serves 407,300 people. Your water bill names your system.
Largest system
City of Newport News
407,300 people · Surface water · EPA ID VA3700500
| PFAS | Highest average | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| PFOA Not detected | – | 4 ppt |
| PFOS One sample above limit | 2.27 ppt | 4 ppt |
| PFHxS Detected, below limit | 4.4 ppt | 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.
Lead: 0 ppb at the 90th percentile (Dec 2025, 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.
Hampton 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 Hampton city (tables B25034, B25003). Estimates for small places have a margin of error.
Which system serves your ZIP code
Based on the ZIP codes each system reported serving. Boundaries don't follow ZIP lines exactly, so your water bill is the final word.
| System | ZIP codes in Hampton |
|---|---|
| City of Newport News 407,300 people | 23661, 23663, 23664, 23665, 23666, 23668, 23669 |
| Langley Air Force Base Water System 10,886 people | 23651, 23667, 23681 |
Other water systems serving Hampton
- Langley Air Force Base Water System10,886 people · Purchased surface water · Virginia · lists this cityPFOS detectedAlso: PFHxS detected
- Fort Monroe Water System600 people · Purchased surface water · Virginia · lists this cityNot in EPA's PFAS sample
How nearby cities compare
| City | PFAS | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|---|
| Norfolk 9 mi City of Norfolk | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Newport News 13 mi City of Newport News | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Portsmouth 13 mi City of Portsmouth | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Virginia Beach 24 mi City of Virginia Beach | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Chesapeake 25 mi City of Chesapeake – Northwest River System | None above limits | 1.12 ppb |
| Suffolk 31 mi City of Suffolk | None above limits | 1 ppb |
Questions
Is Hampton tap water safe to drink?
City of Newport News has had no health-based violations since 2016. 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 Hampton, VA?
3 public water systems serve parts of Hampton. The largest is City of Newport News (407,300 people). Your water bill names your system. The EPA ID is also on your utility's Consumer Confidence Report.
Does Hampton tap water have PFAS?
City of Newport News had 5 PFAS detected at least once in EPA's 2023–2025 testing, all with averages below the federal limits.
Do Hampton homes have lead pipes?
Census estimates put 57% of Hampton 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. City of Newport News'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.