Prince William Water – West water quality
Buckhall, VA · serves 136,409 people (42,896 connections) · Purchased surface water · Local government · EPA ID VA6153251
Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it
Buys water from City of Manassas, Fairfax County Water Authority. Treated water bought from another system can carry that system's contaminants.
Summary
No federal limits exceeded in EPA data.
- PFAS
- Detected, below limit2 of 29 PFAS found at least once. All averages below the federal limits.
- Lead
- Below action level0 ppb (parts per billion) at the 90th percentile: 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below it. Action level 15 ppb, falling to 10 ppb in Nov 2027. Monitoring period ending Dec 2023. Your home's pipes can make yours higher.
- Violations
- None health-basedNo health-based violations since 2016.
- Built before 1986, or not sure what your service line is made of? Check your service line and test your tap. Utility data can't show your pipes.
- Tested your own tap? Compare your result with these numbers. Moving? Compare this system with another.
- Read Prince William Water – West's annual water quality report (Consumer Confidence Report). It lists every regulated contaminant tested and is usually on the utility's website or mailed with your bill, and you can also request it at (703) 335-7976. EPA: how to find it.
PFAS (“forever chemicals”)
EPA UCMR 5: 2 entry points tested Feb 2024 to Nov 2024. "Average" is the highest entry-point average (non-detects counted as zero), the way EPA compares UCMR 5 results to the limits. ppt = parts per trillion. These results do not determine compliance.
| Contaminant | Highest average |
|---|---|
| PFOA Not detected Limit 4 ppt | – |
| PFOS Not detected Limit 4 ppt | – |
| PFHxS Not detected Limit 10 ppt | – |
| PFNA Not detected Limit 10 ppt | – |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) Not detected Limit 10 ppt | – |
| Hazard Index (a combined score for PFHxS, PFNA, GenX and PFBS, where above 1 is over the limit) Not detected Limit 1 | – |
| PFBS Not detected Guideline 2,000 ppt | – |
| PFBA Not detected Guideline 6,000 ppt | – |
| PFHxA Detected, below limit Guideline 3,000 ppt | 0.9 ppt |
| PFPeA Detected, no limit | 1.25 ppt |
29 PFAS tested, 2 detected at least once. "Not detected" means below EPA's reporting limit (about 2 to 20 ppt depending on the chemical), not proven zero. PFAS not listed were not detected. The limits for PFHxS, PFNA, GenX and the Hazard Index were proposed for rescission in May 2026. That proposal is not final. Systems have until 2029 to meet the limits.
Lithium
Not detected in 8 samples (reporting limit 9 ppb). About lithium.
Lead and copper
Latest 90th percentile: 0 ppb lead (Jan 2021 – Dec 2023). Below action level
| Monitoring period | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|
| Jan 2021 – Dec 2023 | 0 ppb |
| Jan 2018 – Dec 2020 | 0 ppb |
| Jan 2015 – Dec 2017 | 0 ppb |
Earlier results (9)
| Jan 2012 – Dec 2014 | 2 ppb |
| Jan 2009 – Dec 2011 | 0.1 ppb |
| Jan 2009 – Jun 2009 | 2.5 ppb |
| Jul 2008 – Dec 2008 | 2.5 ppb |
| Jul 2007 – Dec 2007 | 2 ppb |
| Jan 2007 – Jun 2007 | 5 ppb |
| Jan 2003 – Dec 2005 | 2 ppb |
| Jan 2002 – Dec 2004 | 3.47 ppb |
| Jan 1999 – Dec 2001 | 11 ppb |
Lead comes from pipes and fixtures, not the source water, so it varies home to home. The 90th percentile means 9 in 10 sampled homes were at or below it. More on lead.
Violations
No violations on record in EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System.
Earlier EPA testing (2013–2020)
| Contaminant | Highest | Guideline |
|---|---|---|
| Manganese | 1.6 ppb | 300 ppb |
| Chromium-6 | 0.16 ppb | – |
| Chlorate | 549 ppb | 210 ppb |
| Strontium | 0.3 ppm | 1.5 ppm |
| Vanadium | 0.82 ppb | 21 ppb |
Where it serves
Buckhall, Linton Hall, Gainesville, Manassas
ZIP codes the system reported serving: 20109, 20110, 20111, 20112, 20136, 20155, 20156, 20169, 20181, 20182
Nearby utilities
- Dale City Water System Dale City · 7 mi · PFAS above limit
- Prince William Water – East Woodbridge · 12 mi · PFAS above limit
- New Baltimore Regional Water System New Baltimore · 15 mi · PFAS above limit
- Fort Belvoir Water System Fort Belvoir · 16 mi · PFAS above limit
- Fairfax County Water Authority Herndon · 18 mi · PFAS above limit
- City of Alexandria Alexandria · 21 mi
Questions
Is Prince William Water – West water safe to drink?
Prince William Water – West has no health-based violations since 2016. EPA testing found no PFAS above the federal limits. Federal data can't tell you about your own pipes: lead comes from service lines and plumbing, so test your tap if your home was built before 1986. For the official word, read the utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report.
Does Prince William Water – West water have PFAS?
Yes. EPA's 2023–2025 testing of Prince William Water – West found 2 PFAS at least once. None of the averages were above the federal limits.
What is the lead level in Prince William Water – West water?
The most recent 90th-percentile lead result for Prince William Water – West is 0 ppb, for the period ending Dec 2023. The federal action level is 15 ppb, falling to 10 ppb in November 2027. The 90th percentile means 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below this number. Individual homes can be higher.
Check these numbers yourself
Every figure on this page comes from public EPA records. You don't have to take our word for it:
- EPA's own report for VA6153251: violations, enforcement and inspections, straight from EPA.
- EPA UCMR 5 data: the PFAS and lithium results (search the file for PWSID VA6153251).
- EPA SDWIS download: the lead results, population and violation records we use.
- The utility's annual water quality report (Consumer Confidence Report): ask Prince William Water – West at (703) 335-7976, or see EPA's guide to finding it.
Found something that doesn't match? Tell us and we'll check it against EPA's records. How we check our data.
Source: U.S. EPA drinking water records and PFAS testing (UCMR 5). How we read the data.