What's in McLean, VA tap water?
McLean's water is treated by Fairfax Water. It meets federal limits, but EWG testing flags several contaminants, led by chromium-6 and disinfection byproducts, above health-based guidelines.
Zip codes covered: 22101, 22102 and surrounding McLeanareas. “× over” compares the detected level to EWG's health guideline, not the federal legal limit.
8 PFAS “forever chemicals” found in McLean, VA's water
The EPA's most recent national testing round detected PFAS in Fairfax County Water Authority's supply. The EPA's 2024 legal limit for PFOA and PFOS is just 4 ppt, and its own health goal is zero, no level is considered safe. Here, PFOA and PFOS were detected above that 4 ppt federal limit.
Reverse osmosis is independently rated the most effective way to remove PFAS at the tap.
See the fixSource: EPA Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5), highest detected result per compound for Fairfax County Water Authority. Levels vary by sampling point and date. Learn more about PFAS.
How to get McLean water off that list
Here is the good news: everything above comes out at your kitchen tap. Fairfax Water treats the water for the whole McLean system, but a reverse osmosis system finishes the job at your sink, catching what city treatment leaves behind. The Sanavia Hydra fits under a standard McLean sink and is NSF-certified to cut chromium-6 (hexavalent) and the rest by up to 99%.
McLean water quality FAQ
Is McLean, VA tap water safe to drink?
Fairfax Water water meets all federal EPA legal limits. However, independent EWG testing finds 4 contaminants above its stricter health-based guidelines, including Chromium-6 (hexavalent) and Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs). Legal compliance and health-optimal water are not the same thing.
What contaminants are in McLean water?
The most notable contaminants above EWG health guidelines are Chromium-6 (hexavalent), Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Haloacetic acids (HAA5), Total PFAS. These are largely disinfection byproducts and trace metals common to the region's water sources.
Does a reverse osmosis system remove these contaminants?
Yes. A reverse osmosis system like the Sanavia Hydra uses a 0.0001-micron membrane plus multi-stage carbon filtration, NSF-certified to reduce every contaminant class detected in McLean water, at your tap, regardless of what the utility does upstream.
The contaminants flagged in McLean water
Plain-English guides to what Fairfax Watertesting turns up above EWG's health guidelines — what each one is, and what actually removes it.