Well owners in James City County should be aware of manganese, chloride, radon, fluoride, iron, and sulfate in their groundwater. Several of these contaminants exceed EPA health standards, requiring attention.
These contaminants come from the sandy and clay layers that make up the coastal plain beneath the county. As groundwater moves slowly through these sediments over time, it dissolves minerals and picks up elements from the rock. Chloride and sodium also enter from saltwater that has moved inland near the coast in past ages, and radon comes from natural radioactive decay in the earth.
Groundwater in this county is soft with elevated sodium as its most notable mineral character. The coastal plain sediments here naturally contain salt deposits left behind from ancient ocean water, which concentrate sodium in the groundwater. These mineral characteristics are widespread across wells throughout the county.
Wells in James City County commonly contain chloride, fluoride, iron, manganese, and radon at levels that exceed EPA health standards. Chloride and fluoride at elevated levels can harm your kidneys and bones over time. Manganese exposure can affect your nervous system and brain development, especially in children. Radon is a radioactive gas that increases your risk of lung cancer when you breathe it in over many years. Iron and manganese together create additional health concerns beyond what either one causes alone.
Your water is soft, which is good for appliances, but the very high sodium content is the main quality-of-life concern. You may notice a salty taste in your drinking water and when cooking. Iron can leave orange or brown stains on fixtures, in toilets, and on laundry. Manganese creates black or dark stains on sinks and clothing. These mineral deposits can clog screens and pipes over time.
Every well in James City County is different, and your well may have much higher or lower levels than what is common here. Testing is the only way to know what is actually in your water so you can treat it properly. We recommend a comprehensive metals and minerals panel, which typically costs between two hundred and four hundred dollars. Treatment options like reverse osmosis systems or radon removal can address multiple contaminants at once.
Not sure if your well is affected? Get certified results in 5–7 days.
Test Your Well Water with Tap Score →| Contaminant | Samples ⓘ | % Above MCL ⓘ | Distribution ⓘ | Confidence ⓘ | Risk ⓘ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manganese | 83 | 35% | Moderate | High | |
| Chloride | 388 | 25% | High | High | |
| Radon | 5 | 20% | Low | High ⓘ | |
| Iron | 190 | 14% | High | Moderate | |
| Fluoride | 389 | 1% | High | Low | |
| Sulfate | 302 | 1% | High | Low | |
| Lead | 7 | 0% | Low | Low ⓘ | |
| Nitrate | 248 | 0% | High | Low | |
| Arsenic | 7 | 0% | Low | Low ⓘ | |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) ⓘ municipal | 18 | 0% | Moderate | Safe | |
| Nitrite | 190 | 0% | High | Low | |
| PFHxS ⓘ municipal | 18 | 0% | Moderate | Safe | |
| PFNA ⓘ municipal | 18 | 0% | Moderate | Safe | |
| PFOA ⓘ municipal | 18 | 0% | Moderate | Safe | |
| PFOS ⓘ municipal | 18 | 0% | Moderate | Safe | |
| Uranium | 8 | 0% | Low | Low ⓘ | |
| E. coli | 2* | 0% | Low | Low ⓘ | |
| Hardness | 267 | — | High | Low | |
| PFBS ⓘ municipal | 18 | — | Moderate | Safe | |
| pH | 396 | — | High | Low | |
| Sodium | 261 | — | High | Low | |
| Total Coliform | 2* | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ |
MCL = Maximum Contaminant Level (EPA limit for public water; used as benchmark for private wells). Distribution shows % of sampled wells in each concentration band. Methodology.
* Microbial contaminants (E. coli, coliform) reflect only samples from the last 10 years.
Data shows potential risk — a certified test confirms whether your water is affected.
Order a Tap Score Test →Population-level CDC data. Not individual risk prediction.
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