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Problems We Found In Hampton, Virginia Drinking Water

Problems We Found In Hampton, Virginia Drinking Water

Kezia Snipe | Hydroviv Research Analyst
**Updated June 25, 2021 to include current data

Our team has updated our assessment of Hampton drinking water to include the most current available data. To do this, we've aggregated water quality test data from Newport News Waterworks Department, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as well as samples that we collect and analyze. We cross reference these data with toxicity studies in scientific and medical literature, and look at upcoming regulatory changes. The water filters that we offer at Hydroviv are optimized to remove contaminants in Hampton, Virginia drinking water.

Source Of Hampton Drinking Water

Hampton supplies its drinking water from both surface and groundwater sources. The surface supply comes from the Chickahominy River. Supplementary groundwater is supplied from wells in the Lee Hall area. Waterworks owns and operates five reservoirs that store and supply water to the treatment plants. The two source waters are treated separately, then blended together before being distributed to Hampton residents.

Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) In Hampton Drinking Water

PFAS are a class of chemicals found in various non-stick and stain resistant products, as well as fire fighting foam. PFAS are considered to be "emerging contaminants" because they are not currently regulated by EPA, but are known to be both toxic and persistent in the environment. PFAS have historically been an ingredient in fire fighting foam, which is why they're often found on or near military bases. The Langley Air force Base Hampton detected PFAS levels between 26,000-220,000 parts per trillion, which are upwards of 11,000 times higher than advisory levels. Hydroviv undersink filters remove PFAS. If you'd like to check out third-party data on our removal rates, send us an email at hello@hydroviv.com.

Lead In Hampton Drinking Water

Lead enters tap water through older lead service pipes and lead-containing plumbing. When corrosion control measures put in place by the municipality fail (like what happened in Flint, Michigan), lead leaches into the drinking water, and can reach dangerous levels. Currently, the 90th percentile for lead in Hampton drinking water is around 1 part per billion. Though the city of Hampton's water quality is well within in compliance with federal regulations, the EPA, CDC and The American Academy of Pediatrics all acknowledged that there is no safe level of lead for children. Additionally, if your home was built before 1986, you most likely have internal lead pipes and plumbing.

Chromium 6 In Hampton Drinking Water

Chromium 6 is an extremely toxic metal that is not currently regulated by the EPA. In recent years, Hampton tap water averaged 90 parts per trillion. For the sake of perspective, these levels are nearly 5 times higher than the concentration determined to have negligible impact on cancer risk.

Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs) In Hampton Drinking Water

DBPs are a category of emerging contaminants that form when chlorine-based disinfectants react with naturally-occurring organic matter. Although these chemicals are not currently regulated very well, the EPA has admitted that they are associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer, as well as kidney, liver, and central nervous system problems.

Still Have Questions About Hampton Drinking Water?

Hydroviv is a water filtration company that uses water quality data to optimize water filters for each customer's water. The contaminants that we list above are what we consider to be major “points of emphasis” that we use to build water filters that are built specifically for Hampton, but all of our our filters provide broad protection against a wide range of contaminants (including lead).

If you’re interested in learning more about water filters that have been optimized for Hampton tap water, or just have questions about water quality in general, feel free to visit www.hydroviv.com, reach out by email (hello@hydroviv.com) or through our live chat. We also frequently post water-related news on Twitter or Facebook. We pride ourselves in being a reputable source of information on water quality, and your questions will be answered by scientists, not salespeople (we don't have any salespeople).

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