PFAS · West Virginia
PFAS in West Virginia drinking water: EPA’s final survey results
EPA’s national PFAS survey (UCMR 5) tested 99 of the community water systems that serve homes in West Virginia. 32 found at least one of 29 PFAS above the laboratory reporting level, and 10 had a PFOA or PFOS sampling-location yearly average at or above EPA’s 4.0 ppt limit. Samples were collected from January 2023 to May 2026.
Data as of EPA UCMR 5 final release, August 2026 (file dated Aug 28, 2026) · EPA SDWIS 2026Q2 (file dated Jul 9, 2026). How we build these pages
PFOA was the compound West Virginia community systems found most often: 20 of 99 tested systems measured it above the reporting level. Across the country, 35% of surveyed community systems found at least one PFAS; in West Virginia the share is 32%. The largest West Virginia system with a detection, Parkersburg Utility Board, serves 34,251 people and found 2 of the 29 compounds.
Which PFAS were found most often in West Virginia
Each row counts the West Virginia community water systems where that compound was measured above the reporting level at least once. A detection is a measurement, not a violation: most of these compounds have no federal limit.
| Compound | Systems where found | Systems tested | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFOA | 20 | 99 | 20% |
| PFBS | 17 | 99 | 17% |
| PFHxA | 11 | 99 | 11% |
| PFHxS | 11 | 99 | 11% |
| PFPeA | 11 | 99 | 11% |
| PFBA | 8 | 99 | 8% |
| PFOS | 3 | 99 | 3% |
| PFHpA | 2 | 99 | 2% |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) | 1 | 99 | 1% |
| PFNA | 1 | 99 | 1% |
| PFPeS | 1 | 99 | 1% |
West Virginia systems with the most PFAS found
The 10 surveyed community water systems that found the most different PFAS, with PFOA and PFOS compared to EPA’s 4.0 ppt limits on the yearly average at the highest sampling location. Larger systems come first when counts tie.
| Water system | People served | PFAS found (of 29) | PFOA | PFOS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wvaw - Walnut Grove Utilities WV3301942 | 7,250 | 7 | 2.1 ppt below the MCL | 15.0 ppt at or above the MCL |
| New Martinsville WV3305203 | 5,272 | 7 | 8.0 ppt at or above the MCL | 2.5 ppt below the MCL |
| Williamstown Water Dept WV3305412 | 3,469 | 7 | 26.1 ppt at or above the MCL | — not detected above the reporting level |
| Weirton Area Water Board WV3300516 | 18,633 | 6 | 1.0 ppt below the MCL | 5.9 ppt at or above the MCL |
| Lubeck PSD WV3305404 | 11,724 | 5 | 89.8 ppt at or above the MCL | — not detected above the reporting level |
| Ravenswood Municipal Water Works WV3301810 | 5,047 | 5 | 2.4 ppt below the MCL | — not detected above the reporting level |
| Wellsburg, City of WV3300517 | 4,019 | 5 | 2.3 ppt below the MCL | — not detected above the reporting level |
| Washington Pike PSD WV3300515 | 2,967 | 4 | 2.1 ppt below the MCL | — not detected above the reporting level |
| Martinsburg City of WV3300212 | 16,250 | 3 | — not detected above the reporting level | — not detected above the reporting level |
| Lavalette PSD WV3305006 | 7,455 | 3 | 1.1 ppt below the MCL | — not detected above the reporting level |
Counties with the most systems that found PFAS
- Wood County 7 of 7 surveyed systems
- Brooke County 4 of 4 surveyed systems
- Harrison County 3 of 5 surveyed systems
- Jackson County 3 of 3 surveyed systems
- Ohio County 2 of 2 surveyed systems
- Jefferson County 2 of 3 surveyed systems
- Marshall County 2 of 3 surveyed systems
- Berkeley County 1 of 2 surveyed systems