Parkersburg, WV Water Quality Report
Is Parkersburg tap water safe? See PFAS and lead contamination levels for Parkersburg, West Virginia. Compare to EPA limits and get filter recommendations.
Quick Answers
Is Parkersburg, WV tap water safe to drink? Parkersburg, WV water has high PFAS contamination. EPA UCMR5 testing detected a peak level of 179.5 ppt, significantly above the EPA's 4 ppt enforceable limit. A reverse osmosis or certified PFAS filter is strongly recommended.
What contaminants are in Parkersburg, WV water? Top PFAS compounds detected in Parkersburg water: PFOA (179.5 ppt), PFBA (18.2 ppt), HFPO-DA (8 ppt). See the full table for all monitored contaminants and comparison to EPA limits.
What filter should I use in Parkersburg, WV? Match the filter to what's in West Virginia water: reverse osmosis handles PFAS, lead, and arsenic together (90%+ removal); pitchers certified to NSF-53 for PFAS like ZeroWater or PUR PLUS cover taps you drink from. A standard Brita pitcher will not remove PFAS.
Parkersburg, WV Water Quality Summary
EPA testing has detected PFAS "forever chemicals" in Parkersburg, WV drinking water. Recent monitoring found a peak level of 179.5 ppt across 4 water systems, representing an average of 28.09 ppt across 6 detected compounds. These levels come from individual EPA UCMR 5 water samples (2023-2025). The EPA's 4 ppt limit for PFOA and PFOS is enforced on a running annual average, so a sample above it shows real exposure but is not by itself a violation.
Contamination Level: HIGH – High contamination – multiple PFAS compounds detected at levels significantly above EPA safety thresholds.
Top Detected Compounds
- PFOA: 179.5 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
- PFBA: 18.2 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
- HFPO-DA: 8 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
- PFHpA: 4.4 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
- PFBS: 3.4 ppt
Lead in Parkersburg, WV Water
EPA Lead and Copper Rule testing has recorded 30 lead samples for Parkersburg water systems, with a 90th-percentile high of 0.0031 mg/L (within the EPA 0.015 mg/L action level). There is no safe level of lead for children; if your home was built before 1986, a certified NSF/ANSI 53 lead-removal filter is recommended.
EPA Violations in Parkersburg, WV
Parkersburg public water systems have 4 health-based EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record, including Lead and Copper Rule, Ground Water Rule, Revised Total Coliform Rule. Health-based violations mean a contaminant exceeded its federal limit or required treatment was not applied.
About the Data
These figures come from the EPA's Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5 (UCMR5) testing program, 2023-2025. UCMR5 is the most comprehensive national PFAS survey of US drinking water, covering about 10,000 public water systems. Population of Parkersburg, WV: approximately 29,018.
ZIP Codes Served
What Parkersburg, West Virginia Residents Should Do
- Enter your exact ZIP code at knowyourexposure.com for address-level data
- If anyone in your household is pregnant or under 5, prioritize a certified PFAS filter now and consider a home test kit
- For long-term protection, an NSF/ANSI 58 reverse osmosis system removes 94-99% of PFAS
- Read the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) your West Virginia utility publishes each year