Gloucester County Water Treatment Plant Water Company

Municipal water, including bottled varieties, typically contains at least small amounts of various contaminants. The presence of these substances doesn't necessarily indicate a health risk. For more details, contact the Environmental Protection Agency's Safe Municipal Water Hotline (800-426-4791).

Water sources (both tap and bottled) include rivers, lakes, streams, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over land surfaces or underground, it dissolves natural minerals and sometimes radioactive materials, potentially acquiring substances from animal presence or human activities.

Potential contaminants in source water include:

• Microbial contaminants like viruses and bacteria from septic systems, agricultural operations, and wildlife
• Inorganic contaminants such as salts and metals, occurring naturally or from stormwater runoff, wastewater discharges, mining, or farming
• Pesticides and herbicides from agricultural sources, stormwater runoff, and residential usage
• Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile compounds from industrial processes, petroleum production, gas stations, runoff, and septic systems
• Radioactive contaminants that occur naturally or result from mining operations

EPA regulations limit contaminant levels in public water systems to ensure tap water safety. FDA regulations establish similar limits for bottled water to provide equivalent public health protection.

Some individuals may be more vulnerable to water contaminants than the general population. Immunocompromised persons—cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, transplant recipients, people with HIV/AIDS or immune disorders, elderly individuals, and infants—may face increased infection risks. These individuals should seek advice about municipal water from healthcare providers. EPA/CDC guidelines on reducing infection risks from cryptosporidium and other microbiological contaminants are available via the Safe Water Hotline (800-426-4791).

Our municipal water comes from two sources. Surface water from Beaverdam Reservoir is treated at our Surface Water Treatment Plant (SWTP) using conventional technology including coagulation, sedimentation, and filtration. Raw water is treated with potassium permanganate to remove iron, organics, and manganese, plus activated carbon for color removal and taste/odor control.

The treatment process includes mixing with alum and polymer for coagulation, pulsation through Superpulsator™ Clarifier units for floc formation and particle settling, followed by chlorination, dual media filtration, pH adjustment, and corrosion control. Our second source is groundwater treated through Reverse Osmosis (RO) from two deep wells. This process includes antiscalant addition, cartridge filtration, and high-pressure membrane filtration to remove dissolved solids and pathogens.

1. Where does Gloucester County Water Treatment Plant water come from?
   Gloucester County Water Treatment Plant supplies surface water to Gloucester, Virginia.
2. Does Gloucester County Water Treatment Plant test its tap water?
   Yes. Like every public water system, Gloucester County Water Treatment Plant must test its water under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act and publish an annual water quality report (Consumer Confidence Report). Ask the utility for the latest report or look for it on its website.
3. How do I contact Gloucester County Water Treatment Plant?
   Call 804-693-4044 or visit 6582 Main St, Gloucester, VA 23061, or use the contact options on the utility’s website.
4. Does Gloucester County Water Treatment Plant water contain lead?
   Water usually leaves the treatment plant without lead. Lead can enter tap water from older service lines, solder and brass fixtures inside homes, especially when water sits in the pipes. Run the tap before drinking if water has been sitting, and ask the utility about lead testing and service line records.
5. Is Gloucester County Water Treatment Plant water hard?
   Hardness depends on the source and changes over time. The annual water quality report lists hardness, or you can test it at home. If it is above about 7 grains per gallon, a water softener sized to your measured hardness will stop scale and spotting.