Chesapeake Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

The Chesapeake Public Utilities Department serves the independent city of Chesapeake, Virginia, in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area, covering 355 square miles. Water is sourced primarily through the Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD) regional system, drawing from the Chickahominy River and reservoirs including Waller Mill Reservoir and Diascund Creek Reservoir. Treatment occurs at HRSD's Army Base Park Water Treatment Plant and Chesapeake's own Kindeberger Water Treatment Plant, supplemented by groundwater from shallow Coastal Plain aquifers. The utility distributes treated water to over 90,000 connections citywide.

The watershed encompasses the Chickahominy River basin within the broader James River system, draining forested and agricultural lands of the Virginia Coastal Plain. Unconsolidated Cenozoic sediments dominate, including the sandy Yorktown Formation (Pliocene) and clay-rich Eastover Formation (Miocene), with minimal carbonate rocks. The absence of significant limestone or dolomite means these sediment types release very little calcium or magnesium, imparting a very soft water character — contrasting with harder supplies found in the Piedmont or Valley and Ridge provinces.

Soft water causes no scale buildup on fixtures, dishes, or in appliances such as water heaters and dishwashers, and excellent lathering reduces soap and detergent consumption. However, soft water's corrosiveness can leach copper or lead from older pipes; regular pipe inspections and pH-balanced conditioners are advisable. A water softener is not recommended, as it could exacerbate corrosion. Treatment includes coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, chloramine disinfection, and fluoridation to 0.7 mg/L per VDH guidelines; eight contaminants, including chromium-6 and arsenic, have been noted exceeding ideal long-term levels per independent assessments.