Is tap water safe in Roanoke?

EPA SDWIS shows no active health-based violation in this profile's reporting window. That is not the same as proving every contaminant is absent, and federal data can lag state and utility records.

How hard is the water in Roanoke, VA?

Nearby USGS observations produce an estimate of 127 ppm (7.4 grains per gallon), classified as hard. This is not a tap measurement.

Do I need a water softener in ZIP code 24011?

At 127 ppm, a correctly sized whole-house softener can reduce scale buildup and hard-water spotting. Treatment for hardness does not remove all health-related contaminants.

City water profile

Roanoke water quality

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

Median indexed hardness

127PPM

8 indexed ZIPs

Range 127–127 PPM

State comparison: 93 PPM above
State hardness rank: #11 of 37
Matched utilities: 1
Active health records: 0

City summary

What the indexed records say

Roanoke has 8 published ZIP profiles across Roanoke City County and Roanoke County. The indexed median is 127 PPM, compared with 34 PPM across Virginia.

Among the 37 Virginiacities with an indexed median, Roanoke ranks #11from highest to lowest. Across all 133 state ZIP profiles, available estimates run from 9to 253 PPM.

The 127–127 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

Soft0 ZIPs

Moderately hard0 ZIPs

Hard8 ZIPs

Very hard0 ZIPs

8 of 8 ZIP profiles have a hardness estimate. Bars count ZIP profiles, not households or laboratory samples.

Evidence quality

Distance, dates, and confidence

Median nearest distance: 37.7 miles
Profiles with evidence: 8/8

Confidence labels

High: 0Moderate: 0Low: 8

Western Virginia Water Authority

PWSID VA2770900

Surface water

System population served: 182,700
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.

No violation records are included in the current lookback window.

Practical next steps

Move from index to evidence

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

Continue comparing

Other Virginia communities

Radford

Pulaski County

127 PPM median

Salem

Roanoke County

115 PPM median

Covington

Alleghany County

112 PPM median

Winchester

Winchester City County

100 PPM median

Franklin

Southampton County

88 PPM median

Charlottesville

Albemarle County

168 PPM median

Search all 37 Virginia cities →

Questions people ask

About water in Roanoke

Is the water hard?

The indexed city median is 127 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.