GALAX, CITY OF

Q: Is GALAX, CITY OF water safe to drink?

GALAX, CITY OF (PWS ID: VA1640243) has 106 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. No PFAS contamination was detected in UCMR5 testing. This system serves 6,837 people using Surface Water sources.

Q: How many people does GALAX, CITY OF serve?

GALAX, CITY OF serves 6,837 people in GALAX, Virginia. It is a Local-owned system using Surface Water water sources with 2,765 service connections.

Q: What type of violations does GALAX, CITY OF have?

GALAX, CITY OF has 106 total violations: 0 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 104 monitoring/reporting violations, and 0 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.

Q: Has PFAS been detected in GALAX, CITY OF water?

No. GALAX, CITY OF was tested for PFAS under the EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program and no PFAS contamination was detected.

Q: What water source does GALAX, CITY OF use?

GALAX, CITY OF uses Surface Water as its primary water source. It is classified as a Community Water System (CWS), serving residential populations year-round.

Q: Where does this data come from?

All data comes from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and the UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program. SDWIS tracks compliance for all public water systems regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act.

Reviewed byPlainWater Editorial, Drinking Water Quality Editorial Team · June 4, 2026

PWS ID: VA1640243 · GALAX, Virginia 24333

GALAX, CITY OF serves 6,837 people in GALAX, Virginia using Surface Water water sources. It has 106 recorded EPA violations, including 0 health-based violations. No PFAS contamination was detected in UCMR5 testing.

Water Quality Snapshot: GALAX, CITY OF

GALAX, CITY OF is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 6,837 residents in GALAX, Virginia through 2,765 service connections. Its water is drawn from surface water sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 106 total violations for this system , of which 0 (0%) are health-based — meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 104 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2018.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene, recorded in 4 violations (MR). This system was sampled under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program and no PFAS compounds were detected above the minimum reporting level.

Across Virginia, EPA tracks 2,821 public water systems serving 7,911,199 people, with 146,670 cumulative violations and 25,642 health-based violations on record. About 90% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 52 violations. GALAX, CITY OF's 106 violations sit above the Virginia average. Statewide, 70 of 171 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (40.9%). All figures above are sourced directly from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 public data releases and are updated as EPA publishes new reporting cycles.

Population Served

6,837

Total Violations

106

Health-Based Violations

Water Source

Surface Water

System Details

System Type: Community
Owner Type: Local
Connections: 2,765
School/Daycare: No
MCL Violations: 0
Monitoring Violations: 104
Treatment Tech Violations: 0

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant	Category	Count	Latest
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene	MR	4	2002
p-Dichlorobenzene	MR	4	2002
Vinyl chloride	MR	4	2002
1,1-Dichloroethylene	MR	4	2002
trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene	MR	4	2002
1,1,1-Trichloroethane	MR	4	2002
Carbon tetrachloride	MR	4	2002
1,2-Dichloropropane	MR	4	2002
1,1,2-Trichloroethane	MR	4	2002
CHLOROBENZENE	MR	4	2002
Benzene	MR	4	2002
1,2-Dichloroethane	MR	4	2002
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene	MR	4	2002
Ethylbenzene	MR	4	2002
Trichloroethylene	MR	4	2002
DICHLOROMETHANE	MR	4	2002
Toluene	MR	4	2002
Styrene	MR	4	2002
Xylenes, Total	MR	4	2002
o-Dichlorobenzene	MR	4	2002
Tetrachloroethylene	MR	4	2002
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)	MR	3	2018
TTHM	MR	3	2018
2,4-D	MR	1	1980
Nitrate	MR	1	1980
Chromium	MR	1	1980
Methoxychlor	MR	1	1980
Endrin	MR	1	1980
Cadmium	MR	1	1980
Mercury	MR	1	1980

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 0 of 120 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant	Date	Result	MRL	Status
PFHxS	9/26/2023	<0.003 µg/L	0.003 µg/L	Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS	9/26/2023	<0.005 µg/L	0.005 µg/L	Not Detected
6:2 FTS	9/26/2023	<0.005 µg/L	0.005 µg/L	Not Detected
PFBA	9/26/2023	<0.005 µg/L	0.005 µg/L	Not Detected
HFPO-DA	9/26/2023	<0.005 µg/L	0.005 µg/L	Not Detected
ADONA	9/26/2023	<0.003 µg/L	0.003 µg/L	Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS	9/26/2023	<0.002 µg/L	0.002 µg/L	Not Detected
4:2 FTS	9/26/2023	<0.003 µg/L	0.003 µg/L	Not Detected
PFUnA	9/26/2023	<0.002 µg/L	0.002 µg/L	Not Detected
PFHxA	9/26/2023	<0.003 µg/L	0.003 µg/L	Not Detected
8:2 FTS	9/26/2023	<0.005 µg/L	0.005 µg/L	Not Detected
PFDA	9/26/2023	<0.003 µg/L	0.003 µg/L	Not Detected
PFOA	9/26/2023	<0.004 µg/L	0.004 µg/L	Not Detected
PFNA	9/26/2023	<0.004 µg/L	0.004 µg/L	Not Detected
PFHpA	9/26/2023	<0.003 µg/L	0.003 µg/L	Not Detected
PFBS	9/26/2023	<0.003 µg/L	0.003 µg/L	Not Detected
PFOS	9/26/2023	<0.004 µg/L	0.004 µg/L	Not Detected
PFMPA	9/26/2023	<0.004 µg/L	0.004 µg/L	Not Detected
PFPeA	9/26/2023	<0.003 µg/L	0.003 µg/L	Not Detected
PFMBA	9/26/2023	<0.003 µg/L	0.003 µg/L	Not Detected
PFEESA	9/26/2023	<0.003 µg/L	0.003 µg/L	Not Detected
NFDHA	9/26/2023	<0.02 µg/L	0.02 µg/L	Not Detected
PFPeS	9/26/2023	<0.004 µg/L	0.004 µg/L	Not Detected
PFHpS	9/26/2023	<0.003 µg/L	0.003 µg/L	Not Detected
PFDoA	9/26/2023	<0.003 µg/L	0.003 µg/L	Not Detected
NMeFOSAA	9/26/2023	<0.006 µg/L	0.006 µg/L	Not Detected
PFTA	9/26/2023	<0.008 µg/L	0.008 µg/L	Not Detected
lithium	9/26/2023	<9 µg/L	9 µg/L	Not Detected
PFTrDA	9/26/2023	<0.007 µg/L	0.007 µg/L	Not Detected
NEtFOSAA	9/26/2023	<0.005 µg/L	0.005 µg/L	Not Detected
lithium	6/21/2023	<9 µg/L	9 µg/L	Not Detected
NMeFOSAA	6/21/2023	<0.006 µg/L	0.006 µg/L	Not Detected
NEtFOSAA	6/21/2023	<0.005 µg/L	0.005 µg/L	Not Detected
PFTrDA	6/21/2023	<0.007 µg/L	0.007 µg/L	Not Detected
PFTA	6/21/2023	<0.008 µg/L	0.008 µg/L	Not Detected
PFUnA	6/21/2023	<0.002 µg/L	0.002 µg/L	Not Detected
PFEESA	6/21/2023	<0.003 µg/L	0.003 µg/L	Not Detected
PFHpS	6/21/2023	<0.003 µg/L	0.003 µg/L	Not Detected
PFDoA	6/21/2023	<0.003 µg/L	0.003 µg/L	Not Detected
NFDHA	6/21/2023	<0.02 µg/L	0.02 µg/L	Not Detected
PFBS	6/21/2023	<0.003 µg/L	0.003 µg/L	Not Detected
PFMBA	6/21/2023	<0.003 µg/L	0.003 µg/L	Not Detected
PFPeA	6/21/2023	<0.003 µg/L	0.003 µg/L	Not Detected
PFMPA	6/21/2023	<0.004 µg/L	0.004 µg/L	Not Detected
8:2 FTS	6/21/2023	<0.005 µg/L	0.005 µg/L	Not Detected
4:2 FTS	6/21/2023	<0.003 µg/L	0.003 µg/L	Not Detected
6:2 FTS	6/21/2023	<0.005 µg/L	0.005 µg/L	Not Detected
PFBA	6/21/2023	<0.005 µg/L	0.005 µg/L	Not Detected
PFHxS	6/21/2023	<0.003 µg/L	0.003 µg/L	Not Detected
PFPeS	6/21/2023	<0.004 µg/L	0.004 µg/L	Not Detected

Verify This Water System

The figures above are aggregated from EPA's public databases. To verify the underlying records — or to file a complaint, request a Consumer Confidence Report, or check current monitoring status — go directly to the federal and state regulators that enforce the Safe Drinking Water Act for GALAX, CITY OF.

Federal Source of Truth

EPA SDWIS — Federal Reports

EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) holds the federal compliance record for every regulated public water system. Open the system-level report by PWS ID:

View PWS ID VA1640243 on SDWIS

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search

State Regulator

Virginia Drinking Water Authority

Virginia Department of Health — Office of Drinking Water is the primacy agency that licenses and inspects GALAX, CITY OF under EPA-delegated authority.

Open VA regulator portal

Source: Virginia Department of Health — Office of Drinking Water

Violation Timeline

Each row links to the EPA SDWIS public record for verification. Cross-reference the contaminant code on EPA's federal report to see violation dates, return-to-compliance status, and enforcement actions.

Year (latest)	Contaminant	Category	Count	EPA Record
2018	Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)	MR	3	SDWIS / VA1640243 / 2456
2018	TTHM	MR	3	SDWIS / VA1640243 / 2950
2002	1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene	MR	4	SDWIS / VA1640243 / 2378
2002	p-Dichlorobenzene	MR	4	SDWIS / VA1640243 / 2969
2002	Vinyl chloride	MR	4	SDWIS / VA1640243 / 2976
2002	1,1-Dichloroethylene	MR	4	SDWIS / VA1640243 / 2977
2002	trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene	MR	4	SDWIS / VA1640243 / 2979
2002	1,1,1-Trichloroethane	MR	4	SDWIS / VA1640243 / 2981
2002	Carbon tetrachloride	MR	4	SDWIS / VA1640243 / 2982
2002	1,2-Dichloropropane	MR	4	SDWIS / VA1640243 / 2983
2002	1,1,2-Trichloroethane	MR	4	SDWIS / VA1640243 / 2985
2002	CHLOROBENZENE	MR	4	SDWIS / VA1640243 / 2989
2002	Benzene	MR	4	SDWIS / VA1640243 / 2990
2002	1,2-Dichloroethane	MR	4	SDWIS / VA1640243 / 2980
2002	cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene	MR	4	SDWIS / VA1640243 / 2380

How GALAX, CITY OF Compares

Cross-reference this system's record against state averages and the federal MCL framework for context.

Metric	GALAX, CITY OF	Virginia avg	Federal benchmark
Total violations	106	52	SDWA compliance — any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations	0	9.1	Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection	None	40.9%	EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served	6,837	2,804	Sizing context for compliance burden

Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 2,821 regulated public water systems in Virginia.

Federal MCL reference — Safe Drinking Water Act thresholds ▼

Contaminant	Federal MCL / Action Level	Note
Lead	0 mg/L (Action Level: 0.015 mg/L)	Lead and Copper Rule treatment technique
Arsenic	0.010 mg/L (10 ppb)	Health-based MCL since 2006
Total Coliform	Treatment technique (RTCR)	Indicator organism, monitoring trigger
PFOA / PFOS (PFAS)	4.0 ppt each (final 2024 rule)	Compliance deadline 2029
Nitrate (as N)	10 mg/L	Acute health risk for infants

Frequently Asked Questions

Is GALAX, CITY OF water safe to drink? ▼

GALAX, CITY OF (PWS ID: VA1640243) has 106 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. No PFAS contamination was detected in UCMR5 testing. This system serves 6,837 people using Surface Water sources.

How many people does GALAX, CITY OF serve? ▼

GALAX, CITY OF serves 6,837 people in GALAX, Virginia. It is a Local-owned system using Surface Water water sources with 2,765 service connections.

What type of violations does GALAX, CITY OF have? ▼

GALAX, CITY OF has 106 total violations: 0 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 104 monitoring/reporting violations, and 0 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.

Has PFAS been detected in GALAX, CITY OF water? ▼

No. GALAX, CITY OF was tested for PFAS under the EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program and no PFAS contamination was detected.

What water source does GALAX, CITY OF use? ▼

GALAX, CITY OF uses Surface Water as its primary water source. It is classified as a Community Water System (CWS), serving residential populations year-round.

Where does this data come from? ▼

All data comes from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and the UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program. SDWIS tracks compliance for all public water systems regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act.

Explore PlainWater

Water in Virginia

All systems in state

All States

Water quality by state

Contaminants

PFAS & other pollutants

Guides

Understanding water quality

Related Data for Virginia

Environmental Data → Natural Hazards → Air Quality → Healthcare Access → Climate Data →

Data Sources: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), Q4 2025. PFAS data from EPA UCMR5 monitoring program (2023-2025). This data is provided for informational purposes only.

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Browse all → | Rankings →

Data sourced from $official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by Kiznis Studio Editorial