Table of Contents
Can You Drink Tap Water in Chesterfield?
Yes, Chesterfield's tap water is generally considered safe to drink as Chesterfield has no active health based violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) that we are aware of. Other factors such as lead piping in a home, or low levels of pollutants on immunocompromised individuals, should also be considered, however. To find more recent info we might have, you can check out our boil water notice page or the city's water provider website.
According the EPA’s ECHO database, from April 30, 2019 to June 30, 2022, Chesterfield's water utility, Chesterfield Co Central Water System, had 0 violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act. For more details on the violations, please see our violation history section below. This assessment is based on the Chesterfield Co Central Water System water system, other water systems in the city may have different results.
While tap water that meets the EPA health guidelines generally won’t make you sick to your stomach, it can still contain regulated and unregulated contaminants present in trace amounts that could potentially cause health issues over the long-run. These trace contaminants may also impact immunocompromised and vulnerable individuals.
The EPA is reviewing if it’s current regulations around pollutant levels in tap water are strict enough, and the health dangers posed by unregulated pollutants, like PFAS.
Water Quality Report for Chesterfield Tap Water
The most recent publicly available numbers for measured contaminant levels in Chesterfield tap water are in its 2020 Water Quality Report. As you can see, there are levels which the EPA considers to be acceptable, but being below the maximum allowable level doesn’t necessarily mean the water is healthy.
Lead in tap water, for example, is currently allowed at up to 15ppb by the EPA, but it has set the ideal goal for lead at zero. This highlights how meeting EPA standards doesn’t necessarily mean local tap water is healthy.
EPA regulations continue to change as it evaluates the long term impacts of chemicals and updates drinking water acceptable levels. The rules around arsenic, as well as, lead and copper are currently being re-evaluated.
There are also a number of "emerging" contaminants that are not currently. For example, PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), for which the EPA has issued a health advisory. PFAS are called "forever chemicals" since they tend not to break down in the environment or the human body and can accumulate over time.
We recommend looking at the contaminants present in Chesterfield's water quality reports, or getting your home's tap water tested to see if you should be filtering your water.
Chesterfield Tap Water Safe Drinking Water Act Violation History - Prior 10 Years
Below is a ten year history of violations for the water system named Chesterfield Co Central Water System for Chesterfield in Virginia. For more details please see the "What do these Violations Mean?" section below.
Is there Lead in Chesterfield Water?
Based on the EPA’s ECHO Database, 90% of the samples taken from the Chesterfield water system, Chesterfield Co Central Water System, between sample start date and sample end date, were at or below, 0.0 mg/L of lead in Chesterfield water. This is 0% of the 0.015 mg/L action level. This means 10% of the samples taken from Chesterfield contained more lead.
While Chesterfield water testing may have found 0.0 mg/L of lead in its water, that does not mean your water source has the same amount. The amount of lead in water in a city can vary greatly from neighborhood to neighborhood, or even building to building. Many buildings, particularly older ones, have lead pipes or service lines which can be a source of contamination. To find out if your home has lead, we recommend getting you water tested.
No amount of lead in water is healthy, only less dangerous. As lead accumulates in our bodies over time, even exposure to relatively small amounts can have negative health effects. For more information, please check out our Lead FAQ page.
Are there PFAS in Chesterfield Tap Water?
Currently, testing tap water for PFAS isn’t mandated on a national level. We do have a list of military bases where there have been suspected or confirmed leaks. There appears to be at least one military base - Chesterfield Limited AASF - near Chesterfield with suspected leaks.
With many potential sources of PFAS in tap water across the US, the best information we currently have about which cities have PFAS in their water is this ewg map, which you can check to see if Chesterfield has been evaluated for yet.
Our stance is better safe than sorry, and that it makes sense to try to purify the tap water just in case.
What do these Violations Mean?
Safe Drinking Water Act Violations categories split into two groups, health based, and non-health based. Generally, health based violations are more serious, though non-health based violations can also be cause for concern.
Health Based Violations
- Maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) - maximum allowed contaminant level was exceeded.
- Maximum residual disinfectant levels (MRDLs) - maximum allowed disinfectant level was exceeded.
- Other violations (Other) - the exact required process to reduce the amounts of contaminants in drinking water was not followed.
Non-Health Based Violations
- Monitoring and reporting violations (MR, MON) - failure to conduct the required regular monitoring of drinking water quality, and/or to submit monitoring results on time.
- Public notice violations (Other) - failure to immediately alert consumers if there is a serious problem with their drinking water that may pose a risk to public health.
- Other violations (Other) - miscellaneous violations, such as failure to issue annual consumer confidence reports or maintain required records.
SDWA Table Key
Field | Description |
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Compliance Period | Dates of the compliance period. |
Status |
Current status of the violation.
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Health-Based? | Whether the violation is health based. |
Category Code |
The category of violation that is reported.
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Code | A full description of violation codes can be accessed in the SDWA_REF_CODE_VALUES (CSV) table. |
Contaminant Code | A code value that represents a contaminant for which a public water system has incurred a violation of a primary drinking water regulation. |
Rule Code |
Code for a National Drinking Water rule.
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Rule Group Code |
Code that uniquely identifies a rule group.
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Rule Family Code |
Code for rule family.
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For more clarification please visit the EPA's data dictionary.
Chesterfield Water - Frequently Asked Questions
By Mail: | 9840 Government Center Parkway P.O. BOX 608 CHESTERFIELD, VA, 23832 |
Existing customers can login to their Chesterfield Co Central Water System account to pay their Chesterfield water bill by clicking here.
If you want to pay your Chesterfield Co Central Water System bill online and haven't made an account yet, you can create an account online. Please click here to create your account to pay your Chesterfield water bill.
If you don't want to make an account, or can't remember your account, you can make a one-time payment towards your Chesterfield water bill without creating an account using a one time payment portal with your account number and credit or debit card. Click here to make a one time payment.
Moving to a new house or apartment in Chesterfield means you will often need to put the water in your name with Chesterfield Co Central Water System. In order to put the water in your name, please click the link to the start service form below. Start service requests for water bills typically take two business days.
Leaving your house or apartment in Chesterfield means you will likely need to take your name off of the water bill with Chesterfield Co Central Water System. In order to take your name off the water bill, please click the link to the stop service form below. Stop service for water bills requests typically take two business days.
USER SUBMITTED RATINGS
- Drinking Water Pollution and Inaccessibility
- Water Pollution
- Drinking Water Quality and Accessibility
- Water Quality
The above data is comprised of subjective, user submitted opinions about the water quality and pollution in Chesterfield, measured on a scale from 0% (lowest) to 100% (highest).
Related FAQS
Chesterfield Water Quality Report (Consumer Confidence Report)
The EPA mandates that towns and cities consistently monitor and test their tap water. They must report their findings in an annual Consumer Confidence Report. Below is the most recent water quality report from Chesterfield's Water. If you would like to see the original version of the report, please click here.
2020 Chesterfield County Rural Water Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)
Is my water safe?
We are pleased to present the 2020 Annual Water Quality Report (Consumer Confidence Report) as required by the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). This report is designed to provide details about where your water comes from, what it contains, and how it compares to standards set by regulatory agencies. This report is a snapshot of last year's water quality and shows the CCRWC water system unconditionally meets all state and federal regulations for drinking water.
Do I need to take special precautions?
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immuno- compromised persons such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly, and infants can be particularly at risk from infections. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers. EPA/Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Water Drinking Hotline
Where does my water come from?
Our water is purchased from Alligator Water & Sewer Company. Alligator's water is sourced from wells on: Union Church Road, Sowell Road, US Hwy 1, Hwy 151, Old Creek Road, and Cedar Avenue.
Source water assessment and its availability
Additional information regarding source water in the Pee Dee Region is available at the following website:
https://www.scdhec.gov/sites/default/files/docs/HomeAndEnvironment/Docs/Watershed/wwqa/Pee_Dee_WWQA_2 007.pdf
Why are there contaminants in my drinking water?
Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Safe Drinking Water Hotline
prescribes regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health.
How can I get involved?
CCRWC Board meetings are held the second Thursday of every month at 6:00 PM.
Additional Information for Lead
If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. Chesterfield County Rural Water Co. is responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components. When your water has been sitting for several hours, you can minimize the potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. If you are concerned about lead in your water, you may wish to have your water tested. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline or at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.
Water Quality Data Table
In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regulations which limit the amount of contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The table below lists all of the drinking water contaminants that we detected during the calendar year of this report. Although many more contaminants were tested, only those substances listed below were found in your water. All sources of drinking water contain some naturally occurring contaminants. At low levels, these substances are generally not harmful in our drinking water. Removing all contaminants would be extremely expensive, and in most cases, would not provide increased protection of public health. A few naturally occurring minerals may actually improve the taste of drinking water and have nutritional value at low levels. Unless otherwise noted, the data presented in this table is from testing done in the calendar year of the report. The EPA or the State requires us to monitor for certain contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants do not vary significantly from year to year, or the system is not considered vulnerable to this type of contamination. As such, some of our data, though representative, may be more than one year old. In this table you will find terms and abbreviations that might not be familiar to you. To help you better understand these terms, we have provided the definitions below the table.
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Detect |
Range |
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MCLG |
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MCL, |
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In |
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or |
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TT, or |
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Your |
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Contaminants |
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MRDLG |
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MRDL |
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Water |
Low |
High |
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Violation |
Typical Source |
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Disinfectants & Disinfection
(There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants)
Chlorine (as Cl2) (ppm) |
4 |
4 |
.4 |
.3 |
.4 |
2020 |
No |
Water additive used to |
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control microbes |
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TTHMs [Total |
NA |
80 |
1 |
NA |
2.83 |
2020 |
No |
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Trihalomethanes] (ppb) |
water disinfection |
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Detect |
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MCLG |
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MCL, |
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In |
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or |
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TT, or |
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Contaminants |
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MRDLG |
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MRDL |
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Water |
Low |
High |
Date |
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Violation |
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Typical Source |
Inorganic Contaminates |
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Runoff from fertilizer |
Nitrate [measured as |
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use; Leaching from |
Nitrogen] (ppm) from |
10 |
10 |
1.6 |
1.6 |
1.6 |
2020 |
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No |
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septic tanks, sewage; |
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Alligator Water |
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Erosion of natural |
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deposits |
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Sodium (ppm) from |
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NA |
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NA |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2018 |
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No |
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Naturally occurring |
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Alligator Water |
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Radioactive Contaminants |
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Radium (combined |
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Erosion of natural |
226/228) (pCi/L) from |
0 |
5 |
.207 |
0 |
.207 |
2020 |
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No |
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deposits |
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Alligator Water |
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Synthetic organic contaminants including pesticides and herbicides |
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Dibromochloropropane (DBCP) (ppt) from Alligator Water
0
200
83
68
83
2020
No
Runoff/leaching from soil fumigant used on soybeans, cotton, and orchards
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# Samples |
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Your |
Sample |
Exceeding |
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Exceeds |
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Contaminants |
MCLG |
AL |
Water |
Date |
AL |
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AL |
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Typical Source |
Inorganic Contaminants |
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Copper - action level at |
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Corrosion of household |
1.3 |
1.3 |
.35 |
2020 |
0 |
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No |
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plumbing systems; Erosion of |
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consumer taps (ppm) |
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natural deposits |
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Lead - action level at |
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Corrosion of household |
0 |
15 |
.69 |
2020 |
0 |
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No |
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plumbing systems; Erosion of |
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consumer taps (ppb) |
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natural deposits |
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Additional Monitoring (UCMR4)
As part of an
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Name |
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Average |
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Low |
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Manganese (ppb) |
2.02 |
2.02 |
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2.02 |
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HAA5 (ppb) |
0.136 |
0 |
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0.336 |
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HAA6Br (ppb) |
0.254 |
0 |
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0.678 |
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HAA9 (ppb) |
0.306 |
0 |
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0.678 |
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Unit Descriptions
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Term |
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Definition |
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ug/L |
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ug/L : Number of micrograms of substance in one liter of water |
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ppm |
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ppm: parts per million, or milligrams per liter (mg/L) |
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ppb |
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ppb: parts per billion, or micrograms per liter (µg/L) |
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ppt |
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ppt: parts per trillion, or nanograms per liter |
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pCi/L |
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pCi/L: picocuries per liter (a measure of radioactivity) |
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NA |
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NA: not applicable |
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ND |
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ND: Not detected |
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NR |
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NR: Monitoring not required, but recommended. |
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Important Drinking Water Definitions |
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Term |
Definition |
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MCLG |
MCLG: Maximum Contaminant Level Goal: The level of a contaminant in drinking water below |
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which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety. |
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MCL: Maximum Contaminant Level: The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in |
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MCL |
drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available |
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treatment technology. |
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TT |
TT: Treatment Technique: A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in |
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drinking water. |
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AL |
AL: Action Level: The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or |
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other requirements which a water system must follow. |
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Variances and |
Variances and Exemptions: State or EPA permission not to meet an MCL or a treatment |
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Exemptions |
technique under certain conditions. |
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MRDLG: Maximum residual disinfection level goal. The level of a drinking water disinfectant |
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MRDLG |
below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MRDLGs do not reflect the benefits of |
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the use of disinfectants to control microbial contaminants. |
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MRDL: Maximum residual disinfectant level. The highest level of a disinfectant allowed in |
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MRDL |
drinking water. There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for |
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control of microbial contaminants. |
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MNR |
MNR: Monitored Not Regulated |
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MPL |
MPL: State Assigned Maximum Permissible Level |
For more information please contact:
System Number: SC1320003
Contact Name: Charles Gray or Richard Dixon
Address: 13598 Hwy 9
Chesterfield, SC 29709
Phone: 843
Contaminants
Chesterfield County Central Water System
EWG's drinking water quality report shows results of tests conducted by the water utility and provided to the Environmental Working Group by the Virginia Department of Health - Office of Drinking Water, as well as information from the U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History database (ECHO). For the latest quarter assessed by the U.S. EPA (January 2019 - March 2019), tap water provided by this water utility was in compliance with federal health-based drinking water standards.
Utility details
- Serves: 305392
- Data available: 2012-2017
- Data Source: Surface water
- Total: 13
Contaminants That Exceed Guidelines
- Bromodichloromethane
- Chlorate
- Chloroform
- Chromium (hexavalent)
- Dibromochloromethane
- Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Other Detected Contaminants
- Barium
- Chromium (total)
- Fluoride
- Haloacetic acids (HAA5)
- Nitrate and nitrite
- Strontium
- Vanadium
Reminder
Always take extra precautions, the water may be safe to drink when it leaves the sewage treatment plant but it may pick up pollutants during its way to your tap. We advise that you ask locals or hotel staff about the water quality. Also, note that different cities have different water mineral contents.