Isle of Wight County homeowners receive water from several different public water systems depending on where they live. Some communities receive treated surface water purchased from the City of Suffolk, while others receive reverse osmosis-treated groundwater from the Town of Smithfield. Other areas rely on local groundwater wells, and many rural homes have private wells.

Isle of Wight County's public water meets all federal and state drinking water standards. Like nearly every municipal water system, it contains disinfectants, disinfection byproducts, naturally occurring minerals, fluoride, and trace levels of regulated contaminants.

Depending on your water provider, your water may contain chlorine or chloramines, trihalomethanes (TTHMs), haloacetic acids (HAAs), fluoride, and naturally occurring minerals. Many homeowners choose whole home water filtration and reverse osmosis to further improve taste, odor, and overall water quality.

Water treatment chemicals are added to protect public health and deliver safe drinking water to every home. Newport News Waterworks uses ozone and chloramines to disinfect the water, lime to adjust pH, fluoride to promote dental health, and zinc orthophosphate to help reduce corrosion inside the distribution system.

The reality is that municipal water is about as safe as a public utility can reasonably deliver through miles of underground pipes. The only practical way to further reduce disinfectants and disinfection byproducts is with treatment installed inside your home.

Yes. Isle of Wight County's public water systems meet EPA and Virginia Department of Health drinking water standards.

Many homeowners, however, are looking for more than water that simply meets minimum regulatory requirements. Whole home water filtration and reverse osmosis systems can further reduce chlorine, chloramine byproducts, PFAS, fluoride, and other contaminants while improving the taste and quality of drinking water.

Water quality varies throughout Isle of Wight County because residents are served by several different public water systems and many homes rely on private wells.

Some homes have relatively soft municipal water, while others experience harder water or well water with elevated iron, sulfur, manganese, or sediment. The best treatment system depends on your home's water source and a professional water evaluation.

Yes. Even if your water leaves the well or treatment system in good condition, the plumbing inside your home can still affect water quality. Older pipes, stagnant water, galvanized plumbing, copper lines, and older fixtures may influence taste, appearance, or lead and copper levels.

A professionally installed filtration system provides an additional layer of treatment where your family actually uses the water.

We encourage homeowners to review their local Consumer Confidence Report, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) Tap Water Database, and the Virginia Department of Health Office of Drinking Water to learn more about their community's water quality and treatment process.

Many homes throughout Isle of Wight County rely on private wells. Because every well is different, we recommend certified laboratory testing before selecting a treatment system.

Based on your laboratory results, Patriot Water Systems can recommend a customized solution that may include whole home water filtration, a water softener, iron or sulfur removal, reverse osmosis, or a complete well water treatment system.