Portsmouth Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

Norfolk Department of Utilities provides water to Portsmouth, Virginia, serving over 150,000 customers across Portsmouth, Chesapeake, and parts of Virginia Beach. Raw water is sourced from eight reservoirs including Lake Prince, Lake Burnt Mills, and Western Branch Reservoir in Virginia Beach and Suffolk areas, supplemented by the Nansemond and Chickahominy Rivers, plus four deep wells tapping local aquifers. This supply is treated at two facilities — the Lake Holly Water Treatment Plant and a second plant — with a combined capacity of 32–33 million gallons per day, where filtration and disinfection ensure compliance before distribution.

The watershed spans the Coastal Plain of southeastern Virginia, with surface sources in the Nansemond River basin and reservoirs impounded amid Tertiary-Quaternary sands and clays. Groundwater comes from the surficial Yorktown-Eastover Aquifer, a prolific but low-dissolved-solids system formed in Miocene-Pliocene formations, where siliceous sediments dominate over limestones. This geology results in very soft water overall, with minimal mineral pickup from sandy, acidic soils and short residence times that prevent significant calcium and magnesium ion exchange.

With soft water, scale buildup is negligible, sparing water heaters, dishwashers, and washing machines from mineral deposits that shorten lifespan elsewhere. Soap lathers easily, and skin feels smoother without the drying effects of harder supplies. No water softener is needed; instead, address occasional iron staining from wells and use phosphate-free detergents for efficiency. Water undergoes conventional treatment with coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and chlorination. Recent reports note compliance with lead and copper rules; however, third-party tests flag elevated Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) from disinfection byproducts exceeding health guidelines, linked to organic matter in reservoirs. Customers receive annual Consumer Confidence Reports detailing full contaminant levels.