Public water system · VA3740600
ActivePortsmouth, City of
At a glance
City of Portsmouth (PWSID VA3740600) is an active community water system in Virginia. It reports serving 97,915 people through 31,000 service connections. Its primary water source is surface water, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2025.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
97,915
Service connections
31,000
Primary source
SW
Surface water
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does City of Portsmouth compare with other water systems in Virginia?
By EPA's size categories, City of Portsmouth is a large system (10,001 to 100,000 people). Across Virginia, the 2,420 active systems average 3,122 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so City of Portsmouth is about 15 times that figure.
What does “community water system” mean?
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. Virginia has 844 active community water systems, 35% of the state's 2,420 active systems. Surface water means the system draws its water from rivers, lakes, streams or reservoirs. 110 Virginia systems (4.5%) list surface water as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates City of Portsmouth?
EPA lists City of Portsmouth as owned by a local government. The VA state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Does City of Portsmouth have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2025. The violations listed here began between March 2008 and July 2025. By type: 11 monitoring and reporting and 1 public notice, recordkeeping or other. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (2 of them). EPA lists 10 as resolved and 2 as unaddressed. Resolved means at least one resolving action is on record: the system returned to compliance, the rule no longer applies, or no further action was needed. Unaddressed means the violation is not resolved or archived and is not yet covered by formal enforcement.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Unaddressed |
| 2024-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingFollow-up Or Routine LCR Tap M/R · code 52 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Unaddressed |
| 2017-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Seleniumcode 1045 | No | Resolved |
| 2017-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Berylliumcode 1075 | No | Resolved |
| 2017-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Arseniccode 1005 | No | Resolved |
| 2017-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Antimonycode 1074 | No | Resolved |
| 2017-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Mercurycode 1035 | No | Resolved |
| 2017-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Thalliumcode 1085 | No | Resolved |
| 2017-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Bariumcode 1010 | No | Resolved |
| 2016-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Source Water (LT2) · code 32 | Cryptosporidiumcode 3015 | No | Resolved |
| 2009-02-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Turbidity (Enhanced SWTR) · code 38 | Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0300 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-03-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Turbidity (Enhanced SWTR) · code 38 | Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0300 | No | Resolved |
The 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, newest first.Labels and codes come from EPA's SDWIS reference tables. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found. "Health-based" marks violations of a legal limit or required treatment.
City of Portsmouth: frequently asked questions
Who runs City of Portsmouth?
City of Portsmouth (PWSID VA3740600) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the VA state drinking water program.
How many people does City of Portsmouth serve?
City of Portsmouth reports serving 97,915 people through 31,000 service connections in Virginia.
Where does City of Portsmouth get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as surface water. Surface water means the system draws its water from rivers, lakes, streams or reservoirs.
Does City of Portsmouth have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2025. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found.
Is City of Portsmouth's water safe to drink?
AquaCensus shows EPA compliance records, not current water test results, so it cannot say whether the water is safe at a given moment. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2025. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the VA state drinking water program.
Where can I find City of Portsmouth's water quality report?
As a community water system, City of Portsmouth must deliver an annual water quality report, called a Consumer Confidence Report, to its customers by July 1 each year, covering the previous calendar year. The system can provide a copy on request.
Other water systems in Virginia
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfax County Water Authority | Fairfax | 1,121,613 | Community | Surface water |
| Virginia Beach, City of | — | 437,994 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Newport News, City of | — | 407,300 | Community | Surface water |
| Chesterfield Co Central Water System | Chesterfield | 389,897 | Community | Surface water |
| Loudoun Water - Central System | Loudoun | 334,808 | Community | Surface water |
| Henrico County Water System | Henrico | 330,000 | Community | Surface water |
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About this data
Source: U.S. EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and SDWA violation records, via EPA ECHO, as published October 1, 2026 — AquaCensus refreshes it quarterly. See the methodology for how records are matched, cleaned and scored.
Cite as: AquaCensus, “Portsmouth, City of, PWSID VA3740600, Virginia”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/virginia/portsmouth-city-of-va3740600 (data as of October 1, 2026).