Should I be concerned about lead in my drinking water? Lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. Lynchburg Water Resources is responsible for providing high quality drinking water and removing lead pipes, but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components in your home. You share the responsibility for protecting yourself and your family from the lead in your home plumbing. You can take responsibility by identifying and removing lead materials within your home plumbing and taking steps to reduce your family’s risk. Before drinking tap water, flush your pipes for several minutes by running your tap, taking a shower, doing laundry or a load of dishes. You can also use a filter certified by an American National Standards Institute accredited certifier to reduce lead in drinking water. If you are concerned about lead in your water and wish to have your water tested, contact Lynchburg Water Resources at 434-455-4250. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available at www.epa.gov/ safewater/lead.
Water Service Line Inventory In 2024, the City of Lynchburg published its initial Water Service Line Inventory, indicating what is known about the material of water service lines on both the City side and customer side of the City meter. For more information on this program and for a link to our Water Service Line Inventory, please visit www.lynchburgva.gov/purepipe.
Our Source Water
Who makes decisions about my drinking water?
The city of Lynchburg is fortunate to have two water sources: the 138-acre Pedlar Reservoir in Amherst County and the James River. The water from Pedlar flows just over 21 miles by gravity to the city’s two filtration plants. At certain times, water is also drawn from the James River. The sources for drinking water (i.e., tap water and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over the surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals, and in some cases, radioactive material. It can also pick up substances resulting from human activity and the presence of animals.
Contaminants may include the following: 1 Microbial Contaminants: Viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations and wildlife. Contaminants: Salts and metals, which 2 Inorganic can be naturally occurring or result from urban stormwater runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining or farming. Pesticides & Herbicides: Chemical substances
3 resulting from a variety of sources such as
agriculture, urban stormwater runoff and residential uses. Organic Chemical Contaminants: Substances
4 including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff and septic systems.
5 Radioactive Contaminants: Substances that can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.
James River
Source Water Assessment Program The Virginia Department of Health conducted a source water assessment of our system in 2025 in accordance with the 1996 amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act. Based upon the criteria developed by the State in its Source Water Assessment Program, both of our surface water sources were classified as highly susceptible to contamination as a result of land use activities and potential sources of contamination in the assessment areas. However, this does not mean that our sources have or will be impacted. It does mean that if there were to be a release of pollutants in the assessment area, the source water could be impacted. The assessment report consists of maps showing the source water assessment area, an inventory of known land use activities of concern, and documentation of any known contamination within the last five years. For copies of the report, contact Lynchburg Water Resources at 434-455-4250.
Information on Sodium Substance
Average Level Found
Typical Source
Sodium (ppm)
5.8
Natural deposits & Road Salt
(range 5.7-6.0)
Decisions regarding any changes to Lynchburg Water Resources’ infrastructure or rate changes may be discussed during Lynchburg City Council meetings held on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. in City Council Chamber, City Hall, First Floor, 900 Church Street. Citizens have the opportunity to speak during council meetings by signing up online. Meetings are broadcast live on Comcast cable LTV Channel 15, including video-streamed on the City’s website and Facebook page. Agendas for upcoming meetings, archived videos, and minutes to previous meetings can be found at www.lynchburgva.gov.
What if I have questions? If you have any questions or comments concerning information within this water quality report, please contact Lynchburg Water Resources (8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday) at 434-455-4250. For water, sewer, or stormwater emergencies, call LWR’s 24/7 hotline at 434-455-4250. Lynchburg Water Resources’ educators are available for plant tours and group presentations about water supply, treatment, and quality. For more information, visit www.lynchburgva.gov/learn.
525 Taylor Street Lynchburg, VA 24501 www.lynchburgva.gov/waterresources
WATER QUALITY REPORT 2026 Clean Water. Clear Streams. Thriving Community.