Historical Compliance Records VA

City of Richmond

EPA ID: VA4760100 ยท 233,655 people served ยท 17 ZIP codes

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA SDWIS for City of Richmond (VA4760100): 1 EPA violation in the last five years. In the five-year tracking period, City of Richmond filed 1 violation - each has been cleared, and the utility now meets all federal standards for its 233,655 residents.

Data: EPA SDWIS

A ยท 100
Avg Safety Score
233,655
People Served
17
ZIP Codes Served
1
Violations (5yr)
Surface Water
Water Source
0.00359 mg/L
Max Lead Level
Zone 3
Radon Risk ยท Low
1
Contaminants Flagged
$309K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Service Area Map

Coverage area for City of Richmond Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary - Grade A

Service Area Demographics

$67,084
Median Household Income
415,392
Service Area Population
39%
Disadvantaged Population
55th
Poverty Percentile
48th
Energy Burden Percentile
73%
Pre-1986 Housing

The City of Richmond serves a community with a median household income of $67,084 and an estimated 415,392 residents across its service area. Approximately 73% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

Environmental Justice Note: 39% of the population in this service area is classified as disadvantaged under EPA's EJScreen criteria. Communities with higher disadvantaged populations often face disproportionate environmental and health burdens, including aging water infrastructure and limited resources for remediation.

๐ŸŒŠ Where Does Your Water Come From?

Surface Water

City of Richmond'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.

Moderate Risk
Source Contamination Risk
36th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
71th
Superfund Site Proximity

Superfund Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 71th percentile nationally for proximity to Superfund (NPL) sites.

Infrastructure Risk

62 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Galvanized Steel or Copper
Pipe Material
8 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Stable
Decay Status
Installed 89% of expected lifespan used End of life

Detected Contaminants

How City of Richmond compares to EPA limits

What This Means For You

Consumer Confidence Report Rule at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.

PFAS Detected in Service Area

PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been detected in water serving this system's area. 5 detections recorded.

State limits: PFOA: 0.012 ppt, PFOS: 0.012 ppt, PFBS: 0.14 ppt, HFPO-DA: 0.08 ppt
Health concern: PFAS are linked to cancer, thyroid disease, immune suppression, and developmental effects. They do not break down naturally.
Recommended filter: Reverse osmosis (RO) or activated carbon filters certified for PFAS removal. Find the right filter โ†’

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in Virginia

City of Norfolk
234,220 people
B 1 violation
Arlington County
215,000 people
B 0 violations
D 0 violations
Pwcsa - East
168,747 people
C 0 violations
0 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Flood Insurance PFAS Treatment
Flood Insurance $1,400
PFAS Treatment $167
Total Estimated Cost $1,567

Based on national averages for common remediation projects. Actual costs vary by property. Only issues flagged by EPA, FEMA, or state data for each ZIP code are included.

Cost of Inaction

If water quality issues in this service area are not addressed, the estimated financial impact per household is:

Estimated Healthcare Costs $500

Annual per household (CDC est.)

PFAS Exposure - Lifetime Cost $1,000

Per person (emerging research est.)

Estimated Cumulative Cost Per Household

5 years
$2,665
10 years
$5,330
20 years
$10,660

Compare: Estimated remediation cost is $1,567 (one-time) vs. $5,330 in estimated inaction costs over 10 years.

Estimates based on published EPA, CDC, and peer-reviewed research. Individual costs vary by household size, property, and health factors. These are conservative lower-bound estimates intended for awareness, not financial advice.

System Overview

City of Richmond, (EPA ID: VA4760100) is a community water system in Virginia that serves approximately 233,655 people from surface water sources.

This system provides water to 17 ZIP codes across 4 communities.

ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: A (100/100)

This is the average Home Safety Score for 11 of 17 service-area ZIP codes with all required score domains observed. It is not a grade for the water utility.

Model 4.0.0 uses SDWIS identity plus accepted ECHO SDWA lifecycle-based water compliance, the UCMR 5 PFAS MCL screen, EPA radon zone, and annual EPA AirData AQI across three equally weighted domains. Missing required evidence suppresses the score.

Violation History

No current noncompliance in the accepted 2026Q2 snapshot. The 1 record in the 2021-2026 window are classified as resolved or archived, not current.

Status breakdown for accepted records with record years 2021-2026: 1 resolved, 0 archived, 0 addressed, and 0 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
September 1, 2021 Consumer Confidence Report Rule Non-health-based Resolved

Contaminants Detected

The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:

Contaminant Category Violations Health-Based
Consumer Confidence Report Rule Reporting Failure 1 No

Lead & Copper

EPA Lead and Copper Rule evidence attributed directly to this water system:

Lead Level Exceeds Action Level Sample Date
0.00359 mg/L No N/A

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

Dominant radon zone for ZIP codes served by this system: Zone 3 (Low Risk)

Need help with your water quality?

Typical cost: Water test: typically $20โ€“$50 (DIY kit) ยท Professional inspection: $150โ€“$400

Find the Right Water Filter

Free tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking โ€” this helps flush lead from your pipes.

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.

Data Sources

This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for City of Richmond (VA4760100) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is City of Richmond water safe to drink?

The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot shows no current noncompliance for City of Richmond; its 1 accepted 2021-2026 record are resolved or archived. Historical compliance status does not establish conditions at a specific tap.

How many people does City of Richmond serve?

City of Richmond serves approximately 233,655 people across 17 ZIP codes in Virginia.

Where does City of Richmond get its water?

The primary water source is surface water.

Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Tested Clean

This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). No PFAS compounds were detected.

Samples collected
116

Current MCL reflects the lowest state-enforceable limit (NYS 10 ppt for PFOA/PFOS, effective August 2020). The federal final MCL of 4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS (EPA April 2024 rule) is not enforceable until April 2029. Detections above 4 ppt but below 10 ppt are below current MCL but above the future federal limit.

Source: U.S. EPA UCMR5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 5th cycle) โ€” per-system federal sampling, 2023โ€“2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program โ†’

Understand PFAS health context and filtration โ†’

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

Is water from City of Richmond safe to drink?
City of Richmond earns a A safety grade with 1 violation in the past 5 years. Tap water meets EPA standards for most contaminants.
What contaminants are in City of Richmond's water?
Detected contaminants include Consumer Confidence Report Rule. Each is compared against EPA maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) in the detailed breakdown above.
Should I use a water filter?
Given 1 contaminant above EPA limits, a certified water filter can provide an extra layer of protection. The best type depends on specific contaminants in your water.
How many people does City of Richmond serve?
City of Richmond serves approximately 233,655 people with drinking water across 17 ZIP codes.
What is City of Richmond's water source?
City of Richmond draws water from surface water sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in City of Richmond's water?
The maximum detected lead level is 0.00359 mg/L. This is within EPA action level guidelines.
What is the demographic profile of City of Richmond's service area?
The City of Richmond service area has a median household income of $67,084. EPA EJScreen data classifies 39% of the population as disadvantaged, which may indicate greater vulnerability to environmental health risks.
Where does City of Richmond get its water?
City of Richmond'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. Based on available data, the source contamination risk is moderate.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (n.d.). City of Richmond (VA): 1 EPA Violation. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/va4760100/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-va4760100,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{City of Richmond (VA): 1 EPA Violation}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/va4760100/}
}

What You Can Do

1

Test your water

Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter โ†’

2

Check your specific ZIP code

Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report โ†’

3

Contact your utility

City of Richmond (EPA ID: VA4760100) - request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.

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