States › West Virginia

West Virginia Tap Water Quality 2026

EPA drinking water data for 396 cities across West Virginia — covering lead levels, violation history, and compliance status.

Systems tracked: 216 Cities covered: 396 Updated: 2026 Q2
C

West Virginia earns a C for overall water quality

396 communities across 55 counties and 216 water systems. 75.0% have no open violations.

Median lead where detected: 1.10 ppb
34.3% of systems report lead as not detected — a state filing convention, not a water quality measure
PFAS tested at 55.6% of communities; 12 above the federal limit
Lead reported for 100.0% of communities
75.0% of communities have no open violations
Water Systems
216
Active community systems
Median Lead Level
1.1 ppb
7% of EPA action level
Fully Compliant
75%
of systems — no active violations
How we grade states Grades are based on actual EPA enforcement data — MCL violations and lead levels measured against the 15 ppb federal action level. We do not use MCLG-based detections, which are aspirational zero-tolerance goals that would make nearly every state look dangerous. Read our full methodology →

Best & Worst Cities in West Virginia

✓ Cleanest Water
Shannondale
Jefferson County
1.4 ppb B
Morgantown
Monongalia County
0.4 ppb A
Fairmont
Marion County
2.3 ppb A
Clarksburg
Harrison County
1.3 ppb A
Vienna
Wood County
4.6 ppb A
Cheat Lake
Monongalia County
0.4 ppb A
⚠ Needs Attention
Richwood
Nicholas County
18.5 ppb F
Fenwick
Nicholas County
18.5 ppb F
Paden City
Wetzel County
1.0 ppb F
Wardensville
Hardy County
0.7 ppb F
Pax
Fayette County
1.8 ppb F
Lester
Raleigh County
14.1 ppb F

Water Quality by County

55 of 55
Sort:
CountySystemsLead LevelViolationsGrade
Kanawha County 32 1.3 ppb 0 B
Logan County 26 No data 0 D
Fayette County 23 0.9 ppb 0 B
Raleigh County 20 0.6 ppb 0 B
Harrison County 18 1.1 ppb 0 B
Marion County 15 1.3 ppb 0 B
Randolph County 13 0.9 ppb 0 B
McDowell County 12 1.2 ppb 0 D
Monongalia County 11 0.4 ppb 0 A
Preston County 11 2.0 ppb 0 A

About West Virginia Drinking Water

West Virginia is served by 216 community water systems covering 396 communities across 55 counties. 75.0% have no open violation on record.

Lead was detected in 260 communities, with a median of 1.10 ppb — 7% of the federal action level. A further 136 reported none detected. That share is a state reporting convention rather than a measure of water quality, so it is stated separately rather than averaged in.

PFAS has been tested at 55.6% of communities here, and 12 are above the limits EPA set in 2024. Coverage matters: states that test more find more, so this figure is not comparable with a state that has tested less.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is West Virginia tap water safe to drink? ▼
75.0% of communities have no open violation on record. 12 have PFAS above the federal limit set in 2024, which is the main open concern.
Does West Virginia have a lead problem? ▼
3 water systems report a 90th-percentile lead result at or above the 15 ppb action level. The action level is a treatment trigger, not a legal maximum, and 136 communities report no detection at all.
How complete is the data for West Virginia? ▼
Lead results are reported for 100.0% of communities and PFAS for 55.6%. Where a figure is missing it is shown as not reported rather than assumed safe.
How does West Virginia compare with other states? ▼
We do not rank states against each other. Lead reporting completeness ranges from under 20% to 100% depending on the state, so a national ranking would compare filing practice rather than water quality.