Gloucester's public water comes from two sources. Surface water is drawn from Beaverdam Reservoir and treated at the County's Surface Water Treatment Plant. Groundwater is also pumped from deep wells, purified through a reverse osmosis treatment plant, and blended with the treated reservoir water before entering the distribution system.

This dual-source system helps Gloucester produce high-quality drinking water while reducing disinfection byproducts and maintaining consistent water quality throughout the county.

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

The County's 2024 water report detected trihalomethanes (TTHMs), haloacetic acids (HAAs), chlorine/chloramines, fluoride, and naturally occurring minerals, all within current EPA regulatory limits. Many homeowners choose whole home water filtration and reverse osmosis to further improve the taste, quality, and purity of their drinking water.

Gloucester disinfects its water to eliminate harmful bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms before it reaches your home. The County also adjusts pH and adds corrosion inhibitors to help protect the public water distribution system.

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

Yes. Gloucester's public water meets all EPA and Virginia Department of Health drinking water standards and had no drinking water violations in 2024.

Many homeowners, however, are looking for more than water that simply meets regulatory standards. They choose whole home filtration and reverse osmosis to improve taste, reduce disinfectants and disinfection byproducts, and provide an additional level of treatment for drinking and cooking water.

Water quality can vary depending on your location and whether your home is served by public water or a private well. Many Gloucester homeowners on public water choose whole home filtration, while private well owners often require additional treatment for hard water, iron, sulfur, or manganese.

The best way to determine the right treatment system is through a professional water evaluation.

Yes. Even if your water leaves the treatment plant or well in excellent condition, the plumbing inside your home can still affect water quality. Older galvanized plumbing, aging copper pipes, and other materials may influence the taste, appearance, or quality of your water.

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

We encourage homeowners to review the Gloucester County 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 local water quality and treatment practices.

Many homes throughout Gloucester rely on private wells rather than public water. 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.