Data & Methodology — Richmond city

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

Contaminant Data — All Analytes

299 well testing events on record, covering 0 analytes. Data spans 1972 to 2021.

Contaminant Samples Years Detection Rate Distribution LowModHigh vs. Limit vs. VA Avg

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.

Data Coverage & Gaps

No private-well PFAS data for Richmond city

We have no private well sampling data for PFAS compounds (PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, and related chemicals) in Richmond 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 →

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: 2026-07-15

Full methodology →