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City water profile

Portsmouth water quality

Compare local ZIP estimates, evidence quality, associated public systems, and compliance history for Portsmouth, Virginia.

Median indexed hardness

32PPM

7 indexed ZIPs

Range 32–32 PPM

State comparison
2 PPM below
State hardness rank
#30 of 37
Matched utilities
3
Active health records
0

City summary

What the indexed records say

Portsmouth has 7 published ZIP profiles across Portsmouth City County. The indexed median is 32 PPM, compared with 34 PPM across Virginia.

Among the 37 Virginiacities with an indexed median, Portsmouth ranks #30from highest to lowest. Across all 133 state ZIP profiles, available estimates run from 9to 253 PPM.

The 32–32 PPM range shows how much the available ZIP estimates vary within the city label. At least one estimate is marked low confidence, so observation distance and date deserve extra attention.

Hardness distribution

How local ZIP estimates compare

Soft7 ZIPs
Moderately hard0 ZIPs
Hard0 ZIPs
Very hard0 ZIPs

7 of 7 ZIP profiles have a hardness estimate. Bars count ZIP profiles, not households or laboratory samples.

Evidence quality

Distance, dates, and confidence

Median nearest distance
58.2 miles
Profiles with evidence
7/7

Confidence labels

High: 0Moderate: 0Low: 7

Observation window: Jan 7, 2016 to Jun 30, 2026.

ZIP directory

Water reports in Portsmouth

Open a ZIP for site-level provenance and measurements.

ZIP code

23701

Soft

32 PPM

Nearest site
57.5 mi
Confidence
Low

View full ZIP evidence →

ZIP code

23702

Soft

32 PPM

Nearest site
59.6 mi
Confidence
Low

View full ZIP evidence →

ZIP code

23703

Soft

32 PPM

Nearest site
53.3 mi
Confidence
Low

View full ZIP evidence →

ZIP code

23704

Soft

32 PPM

Nearest site
58.9 mi
Confidence
Low

View full ZIP evidence →

ZIP code

23707

Soft

32 PPM

Nearest site
57.1 mi
Confidence
Low

View full ZIP evidence →

ZIP code

23708

Soft

32 PPM

Nearest site
58.2 mi
Confidence
Low

View full ZIP evidence →

ZIP code

23709

Soft

32 PPM

Nearest site
59.9 mi
Confidence
Low

View full ZIP evidence →

Public water systems

Utilities associated with this city

Portsmouth, City Of

PWSID VA3740600

Surface water
System population served
97,915
Last reported
May 19, 2026

The system names this served city; Census place overlap links the city to this ZCTA.

Naval Support Activity Portsmouth

PWSID VA3740500

Surface water
System population served
17,000
Last reported
May 19, 2026

The system names this served city; Census place overlap links the city to this ZCTA.

Nsa Hampton Roads, Portsmouth Annex

PWSID VA3740650

Surface water
System population served
6,072
Last reported
May 19, 2026

The system names this served city; Census place overlap links the city to this ZCTA.

Compliance history

What EPA records show

No active health-based violation appears among the associated systems in the represented EPA reporting quarter. This does not mean every contaminant was tested at every tap.

RecordSystemPeriodStatus
Consumer Confidence RuleVA3740600Jul 1, 2025Unaddressed
Lead and Copper RuleVA3740600Oct 1, 2024Unaddressed

Practical next steps

Move from index to evidence

  1. 1. Open your ZIP. Check distance, dates, confidence, and the associated utility.
  2. 2. Read the current CCR. Confirm source water, detections, limits, ranges, and notices.
  3. 3. Test the tap when needed. Confirm health concerns or treatment sizing with the right method.

Questions people ask

About water in Portsmouth

Is the water hard?

The indexed city median is 32 PPM. Open the ZIP report to verify the distance and confidence behind that estimate.

Is the tap water safe?

Compliance history is utility-wide and cannot guarantee conditions at every tap. Check current notices and test when address-specific evidence is needed.

Do I need treatment?

Choose treatment only after confirming the problem at the property. A softener targets hardness; contaminant treatment requires a matching, verified performance claim.