Water System Report VA

Bedford Regional Water Authority (brwa)

EPA ID: VA5019052 · 38,794 people served · 16 ZIP codes

With a five-year violation-free history, Bedford Regional Water Authority (brwa) delivers safe water to 38,794 residents.

Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02

D · 49
Avg Safety Score
38,794
People Served
16
ZIP Codes Served
0
Violations (5yr)
Surface Water
Water Source
0.0022 mg/L
Max Lead Level
Zone 1
Radon Risk · High
0
Contaminants Flagged
$257K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Compliance Trajectory

Stable · Risk tier: High · 95% chance of violation in next 12 months

Violations went from 2 (2023) to 1 (2025). Violation counts have remained relatively steady.

Service Area Map

Coverage area for Bedford Regional Water Authority (brwa) Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary — Grade D

Service Area Demographics

$70,707
Median Household Income
168,672
Service Area Population
25%
Disadvantaged Population
46th
Poverty Percentile
57th
Energy Burden Percentile
50%
Pre-1986 Housing

The Bedford Regional Water Authority (brwa) serves a community with a median household income of $70,707 and an estimated 168,672 residents across its service area. Approximately 50% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

🌊 Where Does Your Water Come From?

Surface Water

Bedford Regional Water Authority (brwa)'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
30th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
20th
Superfund Site Proximity

About 1% of homes in Bedford County, Virginia rely on private wells rather than public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own water testing and treatment.

Infrastructure Risk

42 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Copper
Pipe Material
28 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Stable
Decay Status
Installed 60% of expected lifespan used End of life

PFAS Detected in Service Area

PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been detected in water serving this system's area. 11 detections recorded. 4 exceed federal EPA limits (4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS).

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 →

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in Virginia

Fort Belvoir
39,303 people
C 0 violations
City of Manassas
42,696 people
C 2 violations
Blacksburg, Town of
34,578 people
C 0 violations
City of Danville,
43,055 people
D 22 violations
City of Petersburg
33,394 people
D 2 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Radon Mitigation Flood Insurance Lead Pipe Replacement PFAS Treatment
Radon Mitigation $1,050
Flood Insurance $900
Lead Pipe Replacement $278
PFAS Treatment $106
Total Estimated Cost $2,334

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:

PFAS Exposure — Lifetime Cost $1,000

Per person (emerging research est.)

Estimated Cumulative Cost Per Household

5 years
$165
10 years
$330
20 years
$660

Compare: Estimated remediation cost is $2,334 (one-time) vs. $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

Bedford Regional Water Authority (brwa) (EPA ID: VA5019052) is a community water system in Virginia that serves approximately 38,794 people from surface water sources.

This system provides water to 16 ZIP codes across 15 communities.

Average Home Safety Score: D (49/100)

Based on water quality violations, lead levels, and radon risk across all ZIP codes served by this system.

Violation History

No violations recorded — This water system has no recorded EPA violations in the past 5 years.

Lead & Copper

EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data for ZIP codes served by this system:

ZIP Code Lead Level Exceeds Limit Sample Date
24523 0.0022 mg/L No N/A

Radon Risk in Service Area

Dominant radon zone for ZIP codes served by this system: Zone 1 (High Risk)

The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.

Need help with your water quality?

Typical cost: Water test: typically $20–$50 (DIY kit) · Professional inspection: $150–$400

Find the Right Water Filter

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

ZIP Codes Served

Coverage: 15 ZIP codes confirmed via EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 plus 1 additional ZIP inferred from SDWIS registry data. The EPA-confirmed set is the most reliable; SDWIS-inferred entries may be narrower than the real deployment area.

Data Sources

This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Bedford Regional Water Authority (brwa) (VA5019052) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bedford Regional Water Authority (brwa) water safe to drink?

Based on EPA records, Bedford Regional Water Authority (brwa) has no recorded violations in the past 5 years — a positive indicator of water quality management.

How many people does Bedford Regional Water Authority (brwa) serve?

Bedford Regional Water Authority (brwa) serves approximately 38,794 people across 16 ZIP codes in Virginia.

Where does Bedford Regional Water Authority (brwa) get its water?

The primary water source is surface water.

Contact Your Water Utility

Public-record contact information for the water utility serving this system. Use these channels to request water quality reports, ask about service, or report issues directly.

Phone
540-586-7679
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility, does not act as its agent, and does not provide customer support for it. Contact details shown are public-record information from CCR filings. For service issues, contact the utility directly using the information above.
Address
1723 Falling Creek Rd. • Bedford, VA 24523

Contact information from Bedford Regional Water Authority Consumer Confidence Report.

ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility, does not act as its agent, and does not provide customer support for it. Contact details shown are public-record information from CCR filings. For service issues, contact the utility directly using the information above.

Water Source & Treatment

Where this water originates and how it's treated before reaching your tap.

Source
Surface water
Drawn from rivers, lakes, or reservoirs.
Disinfectant used
Chlorine
Treatment chemicals reported
chlorine dioxideferric chloridefluoridesodium hydroxidezinc ortho-phosphatechlorinealuminum-based polymerlimesodium carbonatephosphatesoda ashpermanganateblended phosphate productsodium hypochlorite

Source: Bedford Regional Water Authority Consumer Confidence Report.

ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. Treatment and source data are sourced from the utility's published CCR filings.

Source water assessment from Bedford Regional Water Authority Consumer Confidence Report:
The wells and intakes were determined to be of high susceptibility to contamination using the criteria developed by the state in its approved Source Water Assessment Program.

Treatment regime

How this utility classifies its treatment process and what each reported treatment chemical does.

Treatment classification
Multi-stage
Multiple treatment stages — typically coagulation, filtration, and disinfection. Common for surface-water systems requiring removal of particulates, microorganisms, and dissolved organic compounds before disinfection.

Treatment chemicals and what each one does

Chemical names are reported verbatim by the utility. Purpose categories are ZipCheckup annotations based on standard drinking-water treatment practice.

Disinfectant
Inactivates bacteria, viruses, and parasites in the treated water.
chlorine dioxidechlorinesodium hypochlorite
pH adjustment
Raises or lowers water acidity to protect pipes and improve treatment performance.
sodium hydroxidelimesodium carbonatesoda ash
Corrosion inhibitor
Coats pipe interiors to reduce lead and copper leaching from premise plumbing.
phosphate
Coagulant
Causes suspended particles to clump together so they can be removed by filtration.
ferric chloride
Fluoridation
Added at low levels per state or local public-health policy for dental health.
fluoride
Other reported chemicals
Reported by the utility but not in our annotation dictionary.
zinc ortho-phosphatealuminum-based polymerpermanganateblended phosphate product

Treatment classification and chemical list sourced from Bedford Regional Water Authority Consumer Confidence Report.

Treatment intensity is a ZipCheckup-derived classification based on the chemicals and processes the utility reports. Chemicals and contamination sources are taken verbatim from the utility's CCR filing. Routine federal monitoring and contaminant testing shown elsewhere on this page determine whether the water meets safety standards, not the treatment classification.

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
87

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) — per-system federal sampling, 2023–2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program →

Understand PFAS health context and filtration →

PFAS Substances Detected in This System

This water system's Consumer Confidence Report disclosed the following PFAS compounds. Levels are from the utility's most recent reporting cycle.

Substance Detected level EPA limit Status
GenX
Not yet EPA-regulated
5 ppt 10 ppt Below EPA limit

In April 2024, EPA finalized the first National Primary Drinking Water Regulation for six PFAS. Public water systems have until 2029 to comply. EPA — PFAS regulation overview →

Source: Consumer Confidence Report disclosed by Bedford Regional Water Authority.

ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. PFAS detection data is sourced from public Consumer Confidence Reports filed by the utility itself.

Learn more about PFAS health effects and filtration →

Lead Service Line Inventory

Service line breakdown reported under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) inventory requirement:

5
Confirmed Lead
0
Galvanized — Replacement Required
4,468
Unknown Material
9,670
Confirmed Non-Lead

Federal LCRI rule (effective October 2024) requires every public water system to inventory its service lines and complete lead-line replacement within 10 years.

Federal Regulatory Status · 2026Q1
LCRR inventory submission: Reported all required service line types
Latest tap sample on 2024-01-01 did not exceed the federal lead action level.
Population served: 38,794
Reported to Virginia

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Service Line Inventory (Phase 2) · Submitted 2026

ZipCheckup is not affiliated with the utility or state agency. Inventory figures render verbatim from the public LCRI submission cited above; ZipCheckup does not perform inspections or replacements.

Learn about lead in drinking water →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water from Bedford Regional Water Authority (brwa) safe to drink?
Bedford Regional Water Authority (brwa) has a D safety grade based on 0 recorded violations. Some contaminants may exceed EPA limits — independent testing is recommended.
Should I use a water filter?
Bedford Regional Water Authority (brwa) meets EPA standards, but a water filter can reduce trace contaminants below detectable levels for added peace of mind.
How many people does Bedford Regional Water Authority (brwa) serve?
Bedford Regional Water Authority (brwa) serves approximately 38,794 people with drinking water across 16 ZIP codes.
What is Bedford Regional Water Authority (brwa)'s water source?
Bedford Regional Water Authority (brwa) draws water from surface water sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in Bedford Regional Water Authority (brwa)'s water?
The maximum detected lead level is 0.0022 mg/L. This is within EPA action level guidelines.
What is the demographic profile of Bedford Regional Water Authority (brwa)'s service area?
The Bedford Regional Water Authority (brwa) service area has a median household income of $70,707. Demographic data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and EPA EJScreen.
Where does Bedford Regional Water Authority (brwa) get its water?
Bedford Regional Water Authority (brwa)'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.

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 →

2

Check your specific ZIP code

Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report →

3

Contact your utility

Bedford Regional Water Authority (brwa) (EPA ID: VA5019052) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.

Home Water Systems Virginia Bedford Regional Water Authority (brwa)

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