Martinsburg, WV Water Quality Report

Is Martinsburg tap water safe? See PFAS and lead contamination levels for Martinsburg, West Virginia. Compare to EPA limits and get filter recommendations.

Quick Answers

Is Martinsburg, WV tap water safe to drink? Martinsburg, WV water has high PFAS contamination. EPA UCMR5 testing detected a peak level of 86.1 ppt, significantly above the EPA's 4 ppt enforceable limit. A reverse osmosis or certified PFAS filter is strongly recommended.

What contaminants are in Martinsburg, WV water? Top PFAS compounds detected in Martinsburg water: PFOS (86.1 ppt), PFHxS (70.9 ppt), PFPeA (0.02 ppt). See the full table for all monitored contaminants and comparison to EPA limits.

What filter should I use in Martinsburg, WV? An NSF/ANSI 58 reverse osmosis system is the strongest option, removing 90%+ of PFAS along with lead and arsenic. For renters or smaller households in Martinsburg, an NSF-53 certified pitcher (Clearly Filtered, ZeroWater, LifeStraw) is a practical alternative. Ordinary Brita cartridges are not certified for PFAS.

Martinsburg, WV Water Quality Summary

EPA testing has detected PFAS "forever chemicals" in Martinsburg, WV drinking water. Recent monitoring found a peak level of 86.1 ppt across 2 water systems, representing an average of 7.14 ppt across 6 detected compounds.

Contamination Level: HIGH – High contamination – multiple PFAS compounds detected at levels significantly above EPA safety thresholds.

Top Detected Compounds

  • PFOS: 86.1 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
  • PFHxS: 70.9 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
  • PFPeA: 0.02 ppt
  • PFBA: 0.01 ppt
  • PFHxA: 0.01 ppt

Lead in Martinsburg, WV Water

EPA Lead and Copper Rule testing has recorded 58 lead samples for Martinsburg water systems, with a 90th-percentile high of 0.015 mg/L (within the EPA 0.015 mg/L action level). There is no safe level of lead for children; if your home was built before 1986, a certified NSF/ANSI 53 lead-removal filter is recommended.

EPA Violations in Martinsburg, WV

Martinsburg public water systems have 4 health-based EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record, including Chromium, Selenium. Health-based violations mean a contaminant exceeded its federal limit or required treatment was not applied.

About the Data

The numbers on this page are drawn from EPA UCMR5 monitoring (2023-2025), which covers 66,000+ public water systems nationwide, including those serving Martinsburg, WV's approximately 17,862 residents.

ZIP Codes Served

25401, 25402, 25403, 25404, 25405

What Martinsburg, West Virginia Residents Should Do

  1. Enter your exact ZIP code at knowyourexposure.com for address-level data
  2. Install an NSF/ANSI 58 reverse osmosis filter (removes 94-99% of PFAS)
  3. If you're in a high-exposure group (pregnant, young children), consider a PFAS home test kit
  4. Review the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) your West Virginia utility publishes annually