Alleghany County, Virginia — public water systems

How does Alleghany County compare with other Virginia counties?

Alleghany County has the 61st-most active public water systems among the 138 counties listed for active Virginia systems in EPA records; among the 99 with 3 or more systems, the median has 20. Its systems report 14,153 people served in total, the 48th-largest county figure in the state and 0.2% of the statewide total. The average system here reports serving 885 people, well below the Virginia average of 3,122. Population figures are what each system reports; people served by more than one system, such as a wholesaler and the town that buys from it, are counted by each.

Where does Alleghany County's drinking water come from?

By primary water source, Alleghany County's active systems draw on purchased surface water (8, 50%), groundwater (6, 38%), purchased groundwater (1, 6.3%) and surface water (1, 6.3%). Overall, 44% rely mainly on groundwater (including purchased groundwater) and 56% on surface water, compared with 89% and 11% across Virginia. Purchased surface water means the system buys surface water from another public water system rather than drawing its own. The county's largest system, Town of Clifton Forge, draws primarily on surface water.

What kinds of water systems operate in Alleghany County?

Alleghany County's active systems break down as 10 community systems (63%) and 6 transient non-community systems (38%). A community water system serves at least 15 connections used by year-round residents, or regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents. Homes, apartments and mobile-home parks are served by these. A transient non-community water system serves places where people do not stay long, such as gas stations and campgrounds, and regularly serves at least 25 people a day for at least 60 days a year. EPA lists their owner types as local government (56%), private (19%), federal government (19%) and state government (6.3%).