Virginia Beach, VA Water Safety: 90/100 (2026)
20 ZIP codes · 7 water systems · Updated 2026-06-03
Residents of Virginia Beach generally live with tap water that beats the VA safety average on key EPA compliance metrics.
How Virginia Beach Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
Water Quality Map: Virginia Beach, VA
Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.
Score Distribution
How ZIP codes in Virginia Beach score across all safety grades.
What You Should Know About Virginia Beach Water
- Average lead level: 0.001 mg/L.
- Estimated remediation: $1,450 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 12.43 — above typical levels.
Who Supplies Your Water in Virginia Beach
Throughout Virginia Beach, VA, water comes from one of 3 primary utilities out of 7 total systems — independent providers with different rate structures, infrastructure, and compliance records that vary across the service territory.
Overview
We track water quality and home safety data for 20 ZIP codes in Virginia Beach, Virginia (population ~457,066), covering 7 community water systems serving approximately 857,584 people region-wide.
No EPA violations recorded across any ZIP codes in Virginia Beach — an excellent indicator of water quality.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Virginia Beach: A (90/100)
The score combines three factors:
| Factor | What It Measures |
|---|---|
| Water Quality | EPA violations and compliance history |
| Lead Levels | 90th percentile lead concentration vs EPA action level |
| Radon Risk | EPA radon zone classification |
Water Sources
Virginia Beach water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0010 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 ZIP codes exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 3 (Low Risk)
- Zone 1 (High): 0 ZIP codes
- Zone 2 (Moderate): 0 ZIP codes
- Zone 3 (Low): 20 ZIP codes
Areas with No Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23450 | A | City of Virginia Beach, | 437,994 |
| 23451 | B | City of Virginia Beach, | 437,994 |
| 23452 | B | City of Virginia Beach, | 437,994 |
| 23453 | B | City of Virginia Beach, | 437,994 |
| 23454 | B | City of Virginia Beach, | 437,994 |
| 23455 | B | City of Virginia Beach, | 437,994 |
| 23456 | B | City of Virginia Beach, | 437,994 |
| 23457 | A | City of Virginia Beach, | 437,994 |
| 23458 | A | City of Virginia Beach, | 437,994 |
| 23459 | A | City of Virginia Beach, | 437,994 |
All ZIP Codes in Virginia Beach
- 23450 [A]
- 23451 [B]
- 23452 [B]
- 23453 [B]
- 23454 [B]
- 23455 [B]
- 23456 [B]
- 23457 [A]
- 23458 [A]
- 23459 [A]
- 23460 [A]
- 23461 [A]
- 23462 [A]
- 23463 [A]
- 23464 [B]
- 23465 [A]
- 23466 [A]
- 23467 [A]
- 23471 [A]
- 23479 [A]
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- Lead/copper: EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data
- Radon: EPA Map of Radon Zones
Updated daily.
Health Outcomes in Virginia Beach
Source: CDC PLACES (County-level estimates). Water contamination can correlate with respiratory and chronic health conditions.
Compared to National Average
Vertical line = national average. ■ Above national · ■ Below national
Cost Context: What Remediation Means for Virginia Beach Homeowners
Across Virginia Beach, the equity share taken up by estimated remediation is small — a favorable ratio for most property owners.
Remediation costs in Virginia Beach are relatively low compared to home values. The $967–$2,092 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 27% above the Virginia average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Virginia Beach
Why children are most at risk: The CDC states there is no safe level of lead exposure for children. Children under 6 absorb lead more readily than adults, and even low levels can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral problems.
Lead risk in Virginia Beach appears low overall, but individual homes may differ. Testing is the only way to confirm your water's lead content.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Flood & Climate Risk in Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach's flood profile — 6259 NFIP claims over the program's multi-decade period and 60% of ZIP codes within FEMA-designated flood zones — reflects a community where flooding has shaped the local risk landscape in sustained ways. That sustained exposure has specific consequences for water quality that don't apply to lower-exposure areas. Treatment facilities handling intake from flood-saturated watersheds face contaminant loads that can exceed normal filtration capacity. Private wells in FEMA-designated zones face surface infiltration risk during every significant event. Distribution systems in areas that flood repeatedly accumulate backflow stress over time. None of these represent constant threats to water quality, but they are activated by the kinds of events that the NFIP record shows have occurred here, repeatedly, over many years.
Virginia Beach has a significant flood history with 6,259 FEMA flood insurance claims on record, averaging $13,763 per claim. With 60% of ZIP codes in FEMA-designated flood zones, flood risk is a major concern for homeowners and water quality.
How flooding affects water quality: Flood events can introduce sewage, agricultural runoff, and industrial chemicals into water supplies. Even after floodwaters recede, contamination can persist in wells and aging infrastructure. Flood damage can add significantly to the estimated <strong>$1,450</strong> remediation cost per household.
Residents in flood-prone areas should consider flood insurance even outside FEMA zones — over 25% of flood claims come from low-to-moderate risk areas. After any flood event, test your water before drinking.
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data, FEMA flood zone designations.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Virginia Beach, VA