Fairfax County Water Authority
EPA ID: VA6059501 · 1,121,613 people served · 54 ZIP codes
ZipCheckup's reading of EPA SDWIS for Fairfax County Water Authority (VA6059501): no EPA violations recorded in the last five years. Water monitoring for Fairfax County Water Authority: clean, five years, 1,121,613 residents.
Data: EPA SDWIS
Service Area Map
Coverage area for Fairfax County Water Authority Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary - Grade D
Service Area Demographics
The Fairfax County Water Authority serves a community with a median household income of $149,844 and an estimated 1,485,140 residents across its service area. Approximately 60% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
🌊 Where Does Your Water Come From?
Fairfax County Water Authority'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.
Infrastructure Risk
PFAS Detected in Service Area
PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been detected in water serving this system's area. 401 detections recorded. 98 exceed federal EPA limits (4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS).
Comparable Water Systems
Similar-sized systems in Virginia
Estimated Remediation Costs
Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system
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.
System Overview
Fairfax County Water Authority (EPA ID: VA6059501) is a community water system in Virginia that serves approximately 1,121,613 people from surface water sources.
This system provides water to 54 ZIP codes across 21 communities.
ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: D (50/100)
This is the average Home Safety Score for 38 of 54 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
Lead & Copper
EPA Lead and Copper Rule evidence attributed directly to this water system:
| Lead Level | Exceeds Action Level | Sample Date |
|---|---|---|
| 0.0012 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 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 FilterFree tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking — 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.
This system serves 54 ZIP codes:
20120 · 20121 · 20124 · 20151 · 20164 20165 · 20170 · 20171 · 20190 · 20191 20194 · 22003 · 22015 · 22027 · 22030 22031 · 22032 · 22033 · 22035 · 22039 22041 · 22042 · 22043 · 22044 · 22046 22060 · 22066 · 22079 · 22101 · 22102 22124 · 22150 · 22151 · 22152 · 22153 22180 · 22181 · 22182 · 22203 · 22204 22205 · 22207 · 22213 · 22302 · 22303 22304 · 22306 · 22307 · 22308 · 22309 22310 · 22311 · 22312 · 22315
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Fairfax County Water Authority (VA6059501) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fairfax County Water Authority water safe to drink?
The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot contains zero violation records for Fairfax County Water Authority in the inclusive 2021-2026 record-year window. This is a compliance-record finding, not a guarantee about water at a specific tap.
How many people does Fairfax County Water Authority serve?
Fairfax County Water Authority serves approximately 1,121,613 people across 54 ZIP codes in Virginia.
Where does Fairfax County Water Authority get its water?
The primary water source is surface water.
Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Detected
This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). PFAS compounds were detected below the current state-enforceable MCL.
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 →
Frequently Asked Questions
How to cite this page
ZipCheckup. (n.d.). Fairfax County Water Authority, VA: Serves 1.1M People. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/va6059501/
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title = {{Fairfax County Water Authority, VA: Serves 1.1M People}},
year = {n.d.},
url = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/va6059501/}
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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
Fairfax County Water Authority (EPA ID: VA6059501) - request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.