Charlottesville Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

The Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority (RWSA) treats and monitors Charlottesville's drinking water, serving the City of Charlottesville and parts of Albemarle County. Water sources are surface supplies from Ragged Mountain Reservoir, Sugar Hollow Reservoir, and Moores Creek Reservoirs on the Rivanna River. Treatment occurs at the Richmond Road Water Treatment Plant and Moores Creek Water Treatment Plant, with the utility collecting hundreds of samples hourly through annually to comply with EPA and Virginia Department of Health standards under the Safe Drinking Water Act. The service area covers urban Charlottesville and surrounding subdivisions such as Langford Subdivision.

The Rivanna River watershed spans approximately 500 square miles across the Blue Ridge and Piedmont physiographic provinces, where water flows over metamorphic gneisses, granites, and schists of ancient Precambrian age, with some Paleozoic shales and sandstones downstream. No major karstic limestone aquifers contribute; instead, the supply draws from surface runoff with minimal groundwater influence. The dominance of non-calcareous, resistant bedrock of the Precambrian Grenville Province limits mineral dissolution, yielding a naturally soft water character low in hardness ions.

Soft water produces minimal scale buildup, protecting plumbing, water heaters, dishwashers, and washing machines from calcium deposits. Faucets and fixtures require little descaling maintenance, and appliances maintain efficiency longer without mineral clogging. Soap lathers easily, though water may feel slightly slippery. No water softener is needed or recommended, as the naturally soft supply avoids hard water issues like spots on glassware or reduced pressure from pipe narrowing. Annual Water Quality Reports confirm no lead or copper detected at WTPs, total chromium is below 0.01 ppm, treatment involves coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection, and no PFAS or notable contaminants are reported.