Water hardness, a measure mainly indicating the concentration of dissolved substances like calcium and magnesium, can substantially vary across Virginia. Virginia, located on the eastern coast of the U.S., often sees an array of water hardness levels, unlike regions including the Midwest that typically exhibit elevated hardness levels.
Specifically within Virginia, the hardness assessments gathered from different towns and cities imply a pattern of low to moderate hardness levels, in contrast to the national average. As a result, Virginia’s water generally falls under the ‘soft to moderately hard’ category. This characteristic significantly impacts the taste of the water and the efficacy of cleaning substances such as soaps and detergents. It’s worth noting that these hardness levels can change and may vary based on local geological conditions and differences in water sources.
The data shows a diverse range of water hardness levels across various cities, measured in Parts Per Million (ppm) and Grains Per Gallon (gpg). Cities such as Williamsburg, Salem, and Dumfries exhibit high water hardness, exceeding 90 ppm, 5.26 gpg. Conversely, cities like Chesapeake, Suffolk, and Danville have relatively low water hardness levels, falling below 36 ppm, 2.10 gpg. However, several cities such as Lynchburg, Leesburg, and Blacksburg have not provided any information regarding the hardness of their water supplies.
City | Hardness ppm (mg/L) | Hardness gpg | Information Source | Notes |
Virginia Beach | 58.0 | 3.4 | Link | |
Chesapeake | 33.5 | 2.0 | Link | Average of range |
Norfolk | 49.0 | 2.9 | Link | |
Richmond | 65.0 | 3.8 | Link | |
Newport News | 61.0 | 3.6 | Link | |
Alexandria | 125.5 | 7.3 | Link | Average of range |
Hampton | 61.0 | 3.6 | Link | Covered by Newport News |
Roanoke | 46.0 | 2.7 | Link | Page 13 for Roanoke hardness |
Portsmouth | 21.0 | 1.2 | Link | |
Suffolk | 25.0 | 1.5 | Link | |
Lynchburg | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Harrisonburg | 60.0 | 3.5 | Link | Average of range |
Leesburg | n/a | n/a | Link | Loudon County |
Charlottesville | 35.0 | 2.0 | Link | |
Blacksburg | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Manassas | 61.0 | 3.6 | Link | |
Danville | 31.0 | 1.8 | Link | |
Petersburg | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Fredericksburg | 32.0 | 1.9 | Link | |
Winchester | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Staunton | 110.0 | 6.4 | Link | |
Salem | 161.0 | 9.4 | Link | City of Salem page 17 |
Herndon | n/a | n/a | Link | Covered by Fairfax Water |
Fairfax | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Hopewell | 88.4 | 5.2 | Link | |
Christiansburg | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Waynesboro | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Culpeper | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Colonial Heights | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Bristol | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Manassas Park | 61.0 | 3.6 | Link | Purchases from Manassas City |
Radford | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Vienna | 125.0 | 7.3 | Link | Average of range |
Williamsburg | 133.0 | 7.8 | Link | |
Front Royal | n/a | n/a | Link | Says they test for hardness but doesn’t provide value in report |
Falls Church | n/a | n/a | Link | Covered by Fairfax Water |
Martinsville | n/a | n/a | Link | Mentions the water plant adds hardness but doesn’t give value |
Poquoson | 61.0 | 3.6 | Link | Covered by Newport News |
Warrenton | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Purcellville | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Pulaski | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Smithfield | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Abingdon | n/a | n/a | Link | Covered under Washington County |
Wytheville | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Franklin | 88.0 | 5.1 | Link | Franklin County page 31 |
Vinton | n/a | n/a | Link | |
South Boston | n/a | n/a | Link | Covered by Halifax County Service Authority |
Ashland | n/a | n/a | Link | Covered by Hanover County |
Lexington | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Farmville | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Strasburg | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Galax | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Bedford | 26.0 | 1.5 | Link | |
Buena Vista | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Bridgewater | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Woodstock | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Marion | n/a | n/a | Link | Covered by Smyth County |
Covington | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Dumfries | 90.0 | 5.3 | Link | Part of the “East” system in Prince Edwards County |
Emporia | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Richlands | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Big Stone Gap | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Orange | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Bluefield | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Rocky Mount | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Luray | n/a | n/a | Link | |
South Hill | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Berryville | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Tazewell | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Broadway | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Colonial Beach | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Norton | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Clifton Forge | n/a | n/a | Link | |
West Point | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Altavista | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Blackstone | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Chincoteague | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Lebanon | n/a | n/a | Link | Covered by Big Cedar Creek Water Plant for Washington County |
Timberville | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Elkton | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Grottoes | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Wise | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Hillsville | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Pearisburg | n/a | n/a | Link | Doc on Town Website seems to cut off before the CCR report, only covers cross connection |
Windsor | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Lovettsville | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Dublin | n/a | n/a | Link | Purchases from Radford |
Shenandoah | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Crewe | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Tappahannock | 3 | 0.2 | Link | Via Zip Lookup |
New Market | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Amherst | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Stephens City | 324.0 | 18.9 | Link | Supplies to Frederick Water |
Louisa | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Narrows | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Chase City | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Gate City | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Mount Jackson | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Appomattox | n/a | n/a | Link | |
Waverly | n/a | n/a | Link |
ppm = Parts Per Million
mg/L = Milligrams Per Liter
gpg = Grains Per Gallon
Hard water can cause issues such as mineral buildup in plumbing and appliances, reduce the efficacy of soaps and detergents, and affect the taste of the water. A tried and true solution is the use of a water softener. A water softener, like the ones from DROP, could be a worthwhile investment.
These devices work by replacing the calcium and magnesium ions that cause hardness with sodium ions, resulting in softer water. With innovative features, easy installation, and efficient operation, DROP smart water softeners provide a solution to hard water issues, extending the lifespan of appliances, improving water taste, enhancing soap effectiveness, reducing scale build-up, and increasing the overall water efficiency in your home.