Public Works and Environmental Services Alert:
Your drinking water might travel a long way before it gets to your tap. It comes into your house or building from either a public water service provider or a private well.
Public Water Service: In Fairfax County, our drinking water comes from the Potomac and Occoquan Rivers. The water is cleaned at treatment plants and then piped to our homes and businesses. Clean water is used for drinking, cooking, cleaning, and plumbing.
For more information, contact these water suppliers:
Wells: In areas without public water service, private wells provide water. Groundwater is the largest source of fresh water, and it's vital to protect it. There are about 12,750 groundwater wells in Fairfax County that supply water for their owners.
For more information, visit the Health Department for Onsite Sewage Disposal and Private Well Water Systems.
If you are connected to the public sewer system, water from sinks, showers, toilets, and appliances becomes wastewater. Wastewater is sent through over 3,300 miles of pipes before it is cleaned at treatment plants and released back into the environment.
In areas without public sewer service, a septic system may be used. With approval from the Fairfax County Health Department, septic systems treat wastewater in an underground tank in your yard. This tank needs regular pumping to take the waste to treatment plants. Find out more about Onsite Sewage Disposal and Private Well Water Systems | Health Department.
After treatment, the water is released into local waterways or used for irrigation and industrial purposes. Sometimes treated water is diverted to a water reuse program for irrigation and industrial purposes. Visit Water Reuse.
Stormwater is runoff from rainwater, melting snow and ice.
Forests and trees naturally create clean water, and luckily over 50% of raindrops still land on trees in Fairfax County. We can improve water quality by protecting forest health and planting trees along our streets, in our yards, in our parks and next to our streams. Trees help by absorbing water and reducing pollution. Trees are so important to healthy water, they are protected through Resource Protection Areas (RPAs). Learn more about the benefits of trees by reading How Do Trees Benefit Me?
