Do you think you could tell the difference between bottled water and tap water? During a recent kick-off event for the WaterJAM conference, Newport News Waterworks participated in the WaterJAM Taste Test at Bluebird Gap Farm. WaterJAM, an annual conference hosted by the  Virginia Section American Water Works Association and Virginia Water Environment Association,  provides professional growth opportunities for hundreds of water industry professionals from the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond. In the taste test, over 200 people tasted bottled water and tap water to determine which they preferred. The final results were 134 people preferred tap water and 86 people preferred bottled water. No surprise – Newport News Waterworks has great tasting water!

Newport News Waterworks has two sources of water. The primary source of your drinking water is the Chickahominy River. Water from this river is pumped from the river, above Walkers Dam, and transferred through pipes to reservoirs for storage. Waterworks owns and operates five reservoirs that store and supply water to the treatment plants. Groundwater from deep wells in the Lee Hall area provide a second source of water. The two source waters are treated separately, then blended together before distribution to the service area. An annual water quality report or “Consumer Confidence Report” is written, prepared and distributed by the City of Newport News Waterworks Department as required by the Safe Drinking Water Act. It is reviewed and approved by the Virginia Department of Health, Office of Drinking Water. This report explains where the drinking water comes from, what our tests show about it, and other things you should know about your drinking water. To learn more about the your drinking water and to view the most recent Water Quality report, visit the Waterworks website.

Newport News Waterworks is a regional water provider, owned and operated by the City of Newport News, that serves over 400,000 people in Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, York County and part of James City County.