Stafford County, VA
drinking water quality
168,919 residents · 18 public water systems · 5 ZIP codes
EPA sampled 1 of 18 public water systems here, together serving about 123,684 people. The highest reading was PFOS at 5.7 ng/L at Stafford County Utilities. 1 of the sampled system was above a federal limit. Last sampled 8/25/2025.
What was found
| Compound | Highest result | Federal limit | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFOS | 5.7 ng/L | 4 ng/L | 1.4× |
| PFHxS | 3 ng/L | 10 ng/L | 0.3× |
Also detected, with no federal limit set: PFPeA (3 ng/L).
What this means
PFAS are industrial chemicals that EPA describes as breaking down only very slowly in the environment. In April 2024 EPA set the first enforceable national limits: 4 ng/L for PFOA and PFOS, 10 ng/L for PFHxS, PFNA and GenX.
These figures are county-level and come from EPA’s sampling of public water systems. They describe the worst result found in the county, not what comes out of any particular tap — that depends on which system serves the address, and on the plumbing in the building. A private well is not covered by this programme at all.
ZIP codes in Stafford County
22134 · 22405 · 22406 · 22554 · 22556
Readings are county-level, so every ZIP here shares the figure above. Search your ZIP on the map to see it in context.