Data & Methodology — Chesapeake city

Full contaminant data, sample history, and sourcing for Chesapeake city. For readers who want to go beyond the summary.

Contaminant Data — All Analytes

1212 well testing events on record, covering 14 analytes. Data spans 1969 to 2026.

Contaminant Samples Years Detection Rate Distribution LowModHigh vs. Limit vs. VA Avg
Iron 105 1969–2017 98%
294% of limit ↑ 143% above
Chloride 134 1969–2026 100%
91% of limit ↑ 2434% above
Manganese 94 1989–2017 95%
68% of limit ↓ 45% below
Sulfate 134 1969–2026 100%
16% of limit ↑ 127% above
Fluoride 134 1969–2026 88%
32% of limit ↑ 457% above
Arsenic 4 1998–2014 50%
3% of limit ~ typical
Lead 4 1998–2014 25%
1% of limit ~ typical
Nitrate 56 1970–2026 61%
0% of limit ↓ 98% below
Nitrite 51 1975–2026 65%
0% of limit ↓ 80% below
Radon 2 1998 100%
7% of limit ↓ 48% below
Uranium 4 1998–2014 25%
0% of limit ↓ 93% below
Hardness 134 1969–2026 100%
— ↓ 23% below
pH 122 1969–2023 100%
— ~ typical
Sodium 134 1969–2026 100%
— ↑ 2255% above

Distribution shows the share of samples in each concentration band relative to the EPA Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL): Low = below half the MCL, Moderate = between half and the MCL, High = above the MCL. Analytes without an MCL (e.g. sodium, pH) show — in the limit columns. State average is based on county median values across VA.

Compare your result with Chesapeake city

Of the 134 chloride tests on record for Chesapeake city (1969–2026), 0% found none, and half were below 226 mg/L.

Of the 134 fluoride tests on record for Chesapeake city (1969–2026), 12% found none, and half were below 525 µg/L.

Of the 105 iron tests on record for Chesapeake city (1969–2017), 2% found none, and half were below 850 µg/L.

Of the 94 manganese tests on record for Chesapeake city (1989–2017), 5% found none, and half were below 24.2 µg/L.

Of the 56 nitrate tests on record for Chesapeake city (1970–2026), 39% found none, and half were below 5.4 µg/L.

Of the 134 sulfate tests on record for Chesapeake city (1969–2026), 0% found none, and half were below 38.8 mg/L.

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Data Coverage & Gaps

Well-sampled analytes (15+ samples)

  • Iron 105 samples
  • Chloride 134 samples
  • Manganese 94 samples
  • Sulfate 134 samples
  • Fluoride 134 samples
  • Nitrate 56 samples
  • Nitrite 51 samples
  • Hardness 134 samples
  • pH 122 samples
  • Sodium 134 samples

Limited data (<15 samples) — interpret with caution

  • Arsenic 4 samples
  • Lead 4 samples
  • Radon 2 samples
  • Uranium 4 samples

No private-well PFAS data for Chesapeake city

We have no private well sampling data for PFAS compounds (PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, and related chemicals) in Chesapeake city. PFAS testing for private wells requires a dedicated lab panel (~$300–$500). If you are near a military base, airport, or industrial site, consider testing proactively. Learn more about PFAS →

Public vs. Private Water in Chesapeake city

0 Active public water systems
0 Residents on public water
17% Households on private wells

Public water systems in Chesapeake city are regulated by the EPA and must test and report contaminant levels. Private well owners are responsible for their own testing — there is no routine monitoring of private wells by any government agency.

CDC Health Outcome Correlations

Where contaminants detected in Chesapeake city have established associations with specific health outcomes, we cross-reference CDC PLACES county-level prevalence data. This is a contextual signal, not a causal claim.

Contaminant Associated Condition Chesapeake city Prevalence VA Average Source Year
Arsenic Cancer prevalence 5.9% 6.7% 2020
Arsenic Kidney disease rate 2.6% 3.1% 2020
Lead Heart disease rate 5.0% 6.7% 2020

Source: CDC PLACES county-level estimates. Raw data: Download Chesapeake city CDC PLACES data →

Data Sources

This report aggregates data from the following public databases:

Methodology

Raw records are downloaded from the Water Quality Portal and normalized to µg/L (ppb). Records are deduplicated by sample ID and date, and certified outliers are excluded. Analyte names are mapped to EPA canonical forms. Detection rates, distribution bands, and MCL comparisons are computed from the normalized dataset.

Distribution bands use the EPA Maximum Contaminant Level as the threshold: concentrations below 50% of the MCL are classed as Low, between 50% and 100% as Moderate, and above 100% as High. For analytes without an MCL (sodium, hardness, pH), distribution is not computed.

State comparison uses the median of county median values across all counties in VA with at least one sample for that analyte.

Last updated: 2026-08-04

Full methodology →