Skip to main content
Search

Header Menu

  • Main Breaks
  • FAQs
  • Careers
  • Contact Us

Customer Portal

Customer Portal
  • Login or Register
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Start Service
  • Stop Service
Close
Fairfax Water - Official Website

Main navigation

  • Customer Service
    • Start Service
    • Tenants or Landlords
    • Meter Shop
    • Rules & Regulations
    • Rates
    • About Your Bill
    • Payments
    • Stop Service
    • Your Plumbing
    • Detecting Leaks
    • FAQs
    • Avoid Scams
  • Do Business With Us
    • Vendors
    • Developers & Engineers
    • Procurement
  • Our Water
    • Water Quality
    • Water Supply & Source Water Protection
    • Student Project Program
    • Cross-Connection Control & Backflow Prevention
  • News
    • Annual Report on Water Quality
    • Educational Resources
    • Meeting Schedule
    • Water Ninja Adventures
    • Kid's Art
    • Straight From the Tap Newsletter
    • Publications
    • Work Zone
    • Capital Projects
  • About Us
    • Board Members
    • Employment
    • Executive Staff
    • Holiday Calendar
    • Tours
    • Retirees

Our Water

Our Water

Learn more about our water supply, review the latest water quality analytical reports, and more!

In this section

Toggle
  • Water Quality
  • Water Supply & Source Water Protection
  • Student Project Program
  • Cross-Connection Control & Backflow Prevention
2
primary water sources
167M
gallons processed daily on average
25%
of all Virginians on public water are customers
$783M
in planned improvements through 2027
2
primary water sources
167M
gallons processed daily on average
25%
of all Virginians on public water are customers
$783M
in planned improvements through 2027
Tips

Tip - Protect the Watershed

Limit the use of fertilizer. If you must fertilize your lawn, choose a product without phosphorous, which along with nitrogen, upsets the balance of nutrients in local waterways.

Tips

Tip - In the Bathroom

Test for toilet leaks by adding food coloring to the water tank. Don’t flush for 15 minutes. If there is color in the bowl after 15 minutes, you may have a leak.

Tips

Tip - Outdoor Tips

Shut off and drain the water lines to outside spigots in the winter. This prevents freezing temperatures from causing expensive leaks.

Water Supply

Water quality information for the Fairfax Water and Washington Aqueduct Service areas.

Learn More

Water Quality

Annual Water Quality Reports, emerging water quality issues, facts about lead, fluoride, and more!

Learn more

FAQs

View all
Show

How is the water tested, and by whom?

Fairfax Water’s Water Quality Laboratory, a state certified laboratory, performs or manages the testing required by State and Federal regulations. In addition to regulatory testing many other analyses are performed to monitor the water quality of the Authority’s raw sources, water within the treatment process, as well as within the distribution system. Water undergoing the treatment process is continuously monitored for pH, turbidity, coagulation efficiency, and disinfectant residuals through technically advanced on-line monitoring systems. Other testing, such as chlorine, pH, and temperature, is performed at the sample location site with portable instrumentation. The majority of the regulatory and water quality monitoring testing performed, which include Organic, Inorganic, Metals, and Bacteriological testing, are conducted at Fairfax Water’s laboratory using sophisticated instrumentation. Results for much of this testing are posted on Fairfax Water's website in its Annual Water Quality Report.

Show

Do I need to treat the tap water in any way before I place fish in an aquarium?

Fairfax Water uses chlorine for disinfection purposes, which can be harmful to fish if not dechlorinated prior to placing fish in it. Fairfax Water utilizes two types of chlorine, free chlorine and chloramines (chlorine and ammonia mixture). Chloramines are normally used July - March, and free chlorine is generally used April - June. Free chlorine and chloramine dechlorination is performed differently. Chemical additives with directions for dechlorinating either free chlorine or chloramine from water for use in fish tanks or ponds are available at pet/fish supply stores.

Show

What is the white residue sometimes found on items such as coffee pots, irons, shower doors, glassware, and cookware?

The white residues are minerals that are found in the water such as calcium. Overtime and repeated water use there may be a build-up of the minerals on any item the water comes in contact with. There are commercial products that can be purchased to rid the surface of mineral build-up.

Show

Sometimes ice cubes made from the tap water, or the melted water from ice cubes contains white particles. What are these particles and where do they come from?

Ice cubes freeze from the outside in. Ice is formed from pure water (hydrogen and oxygen) therefore the minerals such as calcium and magnesium normally found in the water sometimes end up as visible particulates in the core of the ice cube. The white particles are not toxic.

Show

Is it okay to use water from the hot water tap for drinking, cooking, or making baby formula?

Hot water generally comes from a hot water heater that may contain impurities that should not be ingested. Some of these impurities might be metals from household plumbing that are concentrated in the heating process. Additionally, these impurities from the household plumbing dissolve more rapidly in hot water than cold water causing the amount of impurities to be higher in hot water.

Do you know how much of the earth's surface is water?

Find the answer and more with our educational resources.

Our Resources
Fairfax Water

Footer menu

  • Privacy Disclaimer
  • Rules & Regulations
  • Careers
  • FOIA Requests
  • Miss Utility / 8-1-1
Customer Portal Login

Fairfax Water is exempt from Federal, State and local sales and use taxes (ID # 54-6025290)