Water's Journey

Water's Journey - Stormwater and Wastewater Paths

Where does my drinking water come from?

Your drinking water can travel a great distance before it reaches your tap. Water 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. Water is treated and piped to our homes and businesses where we use the clean water for drinking, cooking, cleaning, and plumbing.

For more information, contact these water suppliers:

• Fairfax Water, 703-698-5600, TTY 711
• Town of Vienna, 703-255-6385, TTY 711

Wells: Where public water is not available, private water wells supply water. Groundwater is the largest fresh water supply, and protection of this resource is vital. More than 15,000 homes and businesses in Fairfax County rely on groundwater wells for their domestic water supply.

For more information, visit

Health Department for Onsite Sewage Disposal and Private Well Water Systems.

Where does the water from my sink and toilet go?

If connected to the public sewer system, water used in kitchens, laundry rooms, and bathrooms becomes wastewater and is conveyed to wastewater treatment plants. The treated wastewater is discharged back into the environment, completing the water use cycle.

For information or to seek help with sanitary sewer problems, visit

Wastewater Management or

For urgent problems, call 24-Hour Trouble Response Center: 703-323-1211 | TTY 711 or

email the Wastewater Planning Division or call 703-324-5015, TTY 711

Where public sewer is not available, a septic system may be installed with approval from the Fairfax County Health Department. Septic tank systems carry wastewater to an underground receiving/holding tank under your yard which must be pumped out regularly and conveyed to wastewater treatment plants.

For more information, visit

Health Department for Onsite Sewage Disposal and Private Well Water Systems.

After treatment, water is returned to a local waterway or diverted to a water reuse program for  irrigation and industrial purposes.

For more information, about water reuse visit

Water Reuse or Download Water Reuse Project brochure

What is stormwater and where does it go?

Stormwater is runoff such as rainwater, melting snow and ice.

• In natural areas where the land has not been paved, this runoff soaks into the soil and may be taken up by plants or enter the groundwater system.
• In heavily developed areas, stormwater runoff from roads, sidewalks, driveways, roofs and other hard surfaces cannot soak into the ground, but instead flows rapidly off these impervious surfaces and into the storm drainage system.

The runoff is carried either to a stormwater management facility or directly to lakes, streams, rivers or wetlands. On its path to our waterways, runoff can pick up pollutants such as sediments, excess nutrients, toxic substances and disease-causing microorganisms. These pollutants have potentially harmful effects on drinking water supplies, recreation and our fish populations. Ultimately, this polluted runoff makes its way to the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay through our many watersheds.

For more information on stormwater management, visit

Stormwater Management or

email the Stormwater Planning Division or call 703-324-5500, TTY 711

How can you protect your water?

Everyone can help preserve our water quality and protect the environment. Ensure that only rain goes down the storm drain by limiting lawn fertilizer, picking up pet waste, managing trash, and properly disposing of paint, motor oil, and chemicals. Inside the home, avoid pouring fats, oils and grease down the drain, and never flush used medicine down the toilet.

Be the Solution to Pollution

See something? Say something

Reporting problems is another way you can help protect our water.