Hollins Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

Hollins, Virginia, in Roanoke County — an unincorporated Roanoke County community adjacent to Roanoke and Salem in the Roanoke Valley of southwest Virginia — receives its water from the Western Virginia Water Authority (WVWA), drawing from the Roanoke River and Carvins Cove Reservoir (Roanoke County) through the Roanoke Valley distribution.

The hard 166.5 mg/L hardness and TDS of 398.5 mg/L reflect the southwest Virginia Roanoke Valley supply's hard Valley and Ridge calcareous character — consistent with other WVWA Roanoke County communities (Roanoke: ~164 mg/L; Salem: ~166 mg/L). The Roanoke River and Carvins Cove at Roanoke County drain the Virginia Valley and Ridge — Cambrian Conococheague Formation (calcareous — primary hardness contributor), Ordovician Beekmantown Dolomite (calcareous-dolomitic — TDS contributor), and Silurian Clinch Sandstone (insoluble dilutant). The Valley and Ridge calcareous formations produce the hard southwest Virginia Roanoke Valley supply.

At 166.5 mg/L, Hollins' water is hard — scale builds steadily in kettles and appliances, dishwashers benefit from rinse aid, and water heaters should be descaled annually. Monthly descaling is recommended. The PFAS level of 8.8 ppt warrants a certified reverse osmosis drinking water filter — Salem VA Medical Center (Roanoke County — AFFF) and the Roanoke Valley industrial corridor contribute to Hollins' elevated readings.