Manganese Contamination

Manganese in Virginia Drinking Water

Ranked by max manganese detected (µg/L) · UCMR 4 data (2018–2020) · Data from EPA SDWIS & UCMR

Cities Tested

Over SMCL

12%

% Over SMCL

26.7 µg/L

State Avg

▼ 6% vs national

vs National

198

Health Violations

Analysis

Manganese in Virginia: what the data shows

Virginia has 66 cities with manganese data from the EPA's UCMR 4 program (2018–2020). Manganese exceeded the 50 µg/L EPA secondary MCL in 8 of those cities. The state average max detected level is 26.7 µg/L. Manganese occurs naturally in groundwater and surface water. Elevated levels are common in areas with iron-rich geology and in systems that draw from reservoirs with low dissolved oxygen. The secondary MCL of 50 µg/L is based on aesthetic concerns (taste, staining), but health-based guidelines suggest neurological effects at higher concentrations. Emerging research links chronic manganese exposure in drinking water to neurodevelopmental effects in children, including reduced IQ and behavioral issues. Oxidation filtration and water softeners are effective at removing manganese from household water.

Comparison

Cities exceeding 50 µg/L EPA Secondary MCL

Virginia

12%

8 of 66 cities

← ▼ 6% below national rate (better)

National avg

18%

729 of 4068 cities

City Map

Manganese data across Virginia

Each dot is a city with UCMR 4 manganese testing data. Cities where manganese exceeds the 50 µg/L EPA secondary MCL are highlighted. Size reflects population served.

Worst Offenders

Top 10 cities by manganese level in Virginia

Highest Manganese levels (µg/L)

All Cities

All Virginia cities ranked by manganese level

#	City	Level	Over SMCL?	Violations	Grade
1	Lynchburg	502.0 µg/L	Over SMCL	14	C
2	Warrenton	253.0 µg/L	Over SMCL	55	F
3	Verona	103.0 µg/L	Over SMCL	28	B+
4	Culpeper	97.9 µg/L	Over SMCL	18	B-
5	Martinsville City	73.6 µg/L	Over SMCL	9	A-
6	Winchester	61.6 µg/L	Over SMCL	9	A-
7	Bristol City	58.5 µg/L	Over SMCL	0	A
8	Abingdon	57.0 µg/L	Over SMCL	7	B+
9	Roanoke City	47.3 µg/L	No	3	B+
10	Madison	45.6 µg/L	No	28	D
11	Fredericksburg	40.0 µg/L	No	21	C
12	Stafford	31.0 µg/L	No	3	B-
13	Rockville	29.6 µg/L	No	384	F
14	Lawrenceville	29.0 µg/L	No	64	D
15	Hampton City	26.6 µg/L	No	6	B+
16	Mcincr, Mcb Quantico	26.0 µg/L	No	26	C
17	Fredericksburg City	24.1 µg/L	No	1	A+
18	Henrico	22.1 µg/L	No	3	A
19	Chesapeake City	21.4 µg/L	No	48	F
20	Chesterfield	18.0 µg/L	No	5	B+
21	Blacksburg	15.0 µg/L	No	1	A-
22	Portsmouth City	13.0 µg/L	No	18	A
23	Norfolk City	12.3 µg/L	No	7	B+
24	Petersburg City	12.2 µg/L	No	3	A-
25	Hopewell City	12.0 µg/L	No	9	A-
26	Colonial Heights City	10.7 µg/L	No	3	A+
27	Hopewell	9.4 µg/L	No	24	F
28	Wise	8.0 µg/L	No	23	B
29	Fort Belvoir	7.7 µg/L	No	7	B+
30	Newport News City	7.6 µg/L	No	8	A-
31	Williamsburg	7.3 µg/L	No	36	D
32	Chase City	6.4 µg/L	No	8	B+
33	Madison Heights	5.7 µg/L	No	11	B-
34	Dahlgren	5.6 µg/L	No	17	C
35	Appomattox	5.5 µg/L	No	1	A
36	New Kent	4.7 µg/L	No	12	B
37	Ashburn	4.2 µg/L	No	2	A-
38	Manassas Park City	3.5 µg/L	No	6	A
39	Herndon	3.1 µg/L	No	14	B
40	Vansant	2.8 µg/L	No	24	C
41	Salem City	2.8 µg/L	No	0	A+
42	Hanover	2.7 µg/L	No	6	A
43	Altavista	2.6 µg/L	No	5	A-
44	Gloucester	2.5 µg/L	No	4	A+
45	Danville City	2.1 µg/L	No	4	A-
46	Buena Vista City	2.1 µg/L	No	4	A-
47	Suffolk City	1.9 µg/L	No	35	A
48	Virginia Beach City	1.9 µg/L	No	29	A
49	Williamsburg City	1.8 µg/L	No	0	A
50	Woodbridge	1.6 µg/L	No	1	B+
51	Lynchburg City	1.6 µg/L	No	0	A+
52	Charlottesville City	1.6 µg/L	No	0	A
53	Vienna	1.3 µg/L	No	1	B+
54	Alexandria City	1.3 µg/L	No	0	A
55	South Boston	1.2 µg/L	No	39	B
56	Harrisonburg City	1.1 µg/L	No	0	A
57	Richmond City	1.0 µg/L	No	2	A
58	Staunton City	1.0 µg/L	No	2	A
59	Waynesboro City	0.9 µg/L	No	5	A
60	Collinsville	0.9 µg/L	No	3	A+
61	Arlington	0.9 µg/L	No	3	B
62	Leesburg	0.8 µg/L	No	2	A-
63	Charlottesville	0.8 µg/L	No	33	F
64	Manassas City	0.6 µg/L	No	5	A
65	Christiansburg	0.5 µg/L	No	21	F
66	Radford City	0.5 µg/L	No	4	A+

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about manganese in Virginia

Is manganese in Virginia tap water harmful?

The EPA secondary MCL for manganese is 50 µg/L, set primarily for aesthetic reasons (taste, color, staining). 8 cities in Virginia exceed the secondary MCL. However, emerging research links chronic manganese exposure above 50–100 µg/L to neurodevelopmental effects in children, including reduced IQ.

How can I remove manganese from my drinking water?

Oxidation filtration (such as greensand or birm filters) is the most common and effective method for removing manganese from well water. Water softeners using ion exchange also work well. Standard carbon filters provide limited manganese removal. If your water has a metallic taste or brown/black discoloration, manganese may be the cause.

What causes high manganese in Virginia water?

Manganese occurs naturally in groundwater and surface water, particularly in areas with iron-rich geology. Low dissolved oxygen conditions (common in deep wells and reservoir bottom waters) increase manganese solubility. Industrial sources include mining, steel production, and battery manufacturing. Seasonal changes in reservoir water chemistry can cause manganese spikes.

More contaminants