City of Portsmouth
EPA ID: VA3740600 · 97,915 people served · 9 ZIP codes
ZipCheckup's reading of EPA records for City of Portsmouth (VA3740600): 2 violations recorded with unresolved status in the SDWIS data used. City of Portsmouth | open status in EPA data: 2 violations | people served: about 97,915.
Data: EPA SDWIS
Service Area Map
Coverage area for City of Portsmouth Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary
Demographics of ZIP Codes Served
The ZIP codes associated with City of Portsmouth have a median household income of $69,597 and about 212,996 residents live in those ZIP codes (Census; not the number of people this system supplies). Approximately 67% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
Environmental Justice Note: On average, 35% of census tracts in the counties mapped to this service area are designated disadvantaged by the federal Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST, 2022 version). Communities with higher disadvantaged populations often face disproportionate environmental and health burdens, including aging water infrastructure and limited resources for remediation.
🌊 Where Does Your Water Come From?
City of Portsmouth's water is drawn from rivers, lakes, or reservoirs. Surface water sources are more exposed to agricultural runoff, stormwater, and upstream discharges, but they typically receive more intensive treatment before reaching your tap.
Superfund Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 83th percentile nationally for proximity to Superfund (NPL) sites.
Infrastructure Risk
Comparable Water Systems
Similar-sized systems in Virginia
System Overview
City of Portsmouth, (EPA ID: VA3740600) is a community water system in Virginia that serves approximately 97,915 people from surface water sources.
This system provides water to 9 ZIP codes across 3 communities.
Violation History
Status breakdown for accepted records with record years 2021-2026: 0 resolved, 0 archived, 0 addressed, and 2 unaddressed. Under this source contract, current noncompliance is the sum of addressed and unaddressed records. Archived and resolved records are excluded from current noncompliance.
Recent Violations
| Date | Contaminant | Type | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 1, 2025 | Consumer Confidence Rule | Non-health-based | Unaddressed (current) |
| October 1, 2024 | Lead and Copper Rule | Non-health-based | Unaddressed (current) |
Contaminants Detected
The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | Health-Based |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead and Copper Rule | Monitoring & Reporting | 1 | No |
| Consumer Confidence Rule | Other (notice or report rule) | 1 | No |
Lead & Copper
EPA Lead and Copper Rule evidence attributed directly to this water system:
| Lead Level | Exceeds Action Level | Sample Date |
|---|---|---|
| Below the reporting limit | No | 2021-12-31 |
No copper action-level exceedance record appears for this PWSID in the accepted LCR snapshot. This does not establish a clean copper measurement.
Radon Risk in Service Area
9 of 9 ZIP records with known zones are in EPA Radon Zone 3.
The EPA recommends testing all homes regardless of radon zone. County radon zones cannot replace an in-home radon test.
ZIP Codes Served
Coverage: Service area ZIP codes sourced from EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 (March 2026 release). These ZIPs reflect the actual deployment footprint recorded by VA or modeled from parcel and building-footprint data.
- 23321 - Chesapeake
- 23323 - Chesapeake
- 23435 - Suffolk
- 23701 - Portsmouth
- 23702 - Portsmouth
- 23703 - Portsmouth
- 23704 - Portsmouth
- 23707 - Portsmouth
- 23708 - Portsmouth
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View available EPA compliance records for City of Portsmouth (VA3740600) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is City of Portsmouth water safe to drink?
The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot shows 2 current noncompliance records and zero current records classified as health-based. That classification is not a property-specific water test or safety guarantee.
How many people does City of Portsmouth serve?
City of Portsmouth serves approximately 97,915 people across 9 ZIP codes in Virginia.
Where does City of Portsmouth get its water?
The primary water source is surface water.
Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: No PFAS Reported Above Reporting Levels
This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). No PFAS compounds were reported above UCMR5 minimum reporting levels.
EPA's April 2024 PFAS rule sets MCLs of 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS and 10 ppt for PFHxS, PFNA and HFPO-DA (GenX); water systems must comply from 2029. Other PFAS compounds have no individual federal MCL. A state standard is shown only where this system's state has its own enforceable PFAS limit. Detection results are EPA UCMR5 samples, not a measurement at your tap.
Source: U.S. EPA UCMR5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 5th cycle) — per-system federal sampling, 2023–2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program →
How Water Systems Appear in Rankings
Water systems are evaluated by violation history, contaminant detections, and service population. Larger systems with more service connections appear in more rankings.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to cite this page
ZipCheckup. (n.d.). City of Portsmouth (VA): 2 EPA Violations. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/va3740600/
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author = {{ZipCheckup}},
title = {{City of Portsmouth (VA): 2 EPA Violations}},
year = {n.d.},
url = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/va3740600/}
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What You Can Do
Test your water
Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter →
Check your specific ZIP code
Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report →
Contact your utility
City of Portsmouth (EPA ID: VA3740600) - request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.