WILLIAMSBURG— The City of Williamsburg has published its annual Water Quality Report, detailing test results, drinking water sources and treatment procedures for calendar year 2025.
Test results show the city’s water met or exceeded all state and federal regulations last year, with no violations recorded. The report covers a range of substances including metals, disinfection by-products, radioactive compounds and PFAS — the so-called “forever chemicals” linked to a range of health concerns. PFAS were not detected in Williamsburg’s water supply.
Lead and copper levels came in well below federal action levels. Results were low enough that the city is only required to conduct that testing every three years; the next round is scheduled for 2026.
Williamsburg draws its water primarily from Waller Mill Reservoir, a 350-acre lake holding 1.5 billion gallons that has been in operation since 1945. The city owns a large portion of the surrounding watershed. During drought conditions, the supply can be supplemented by groundwater from a well at Waller Mill Park and raw water from Newport News Waterworks under a long-term agreement.
The Waller Mill Water Treatment Plant is staffed around the clock, with licensed professionals testing both untreated reservoir water and treated water daily. Some samples are sent to certified third-party labs for additional analysis.
The report’s release comes as residents are adjusting to changes in how their water bills are calculated and delivered. In August 2025, the city raised its water rate from $5.30 per 1,000 gallons — a price unchanged since 2017 — to $6.89 per 1,000 gallons for city residents and businesses. The increase was driven by more than $27 million in planned infrastructure upgrades, including improvements to the water treatment plant, distribution pipes and aging pump stations, some of which are 50 years old. The city also switched from quarterly to monthly billing last summer.
The full report is available online at williamsburgva.gov/wqr.
