Drinking Water
The City of Winchester owns and operates the Percy D. Miller Water Treatment Plant located on State Route 840 near Middletown, VA. Water is pulled from the North Fork of the Shenandoah River, treated and supplied to approximately 11,000 accounts (all city and some Frederick County customers) through a water distribution system of over 125 miles of pipeline. The water treatment plant can provide up to 10 million gallons of water per day.
Did You Know?
The City of Winchester has the oldest water distribution system in Virginia and the third oldest in the United States (behind Philadelphia and Allentown, PA).
Contact (Drinking Water)
Farrell Owens
Facility Manager
Percy D. Miller Water Treatment Plant
(540) 869-1699
Email
"From River to Faucet" Video - Drinking Water Treatment Process Explained
Water Quality
The environmental quality of the water produced and wastewater treated is in accordance with the rigorous standards established by the Virginia Department of Health, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and the United States Environmental Protection Agency to assure safety to the consumer and the environment.
Need a printed copy of the report?
Call (540) 667-2161 to request one be mailed.
Este informe contiene información muy importante sobre su agua potable. Tradúzcalo o hable con alguien que lo entienda bien.
Have a concern about your water quality?
We offer water testing. Contact us to set up an appointment:
(540) 689-1699
Email
Other Resources:
- Lord Fairfax Health Department, (540) 722-3480
- Virginia Department of Health, (540) 463-7136
- Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), (540) 828-2595
Wastewater
Public Utilities maintains and operates a 110-mile wastewater collection system which serves the City of Winchester and portions of Frederick County.
Through an inter-municipal agreement, Winchester's Public Utilities Department operates and manages the Opequon Water Reclamation Facility for the Frederick-Winchester Service Authority. This facility, located just east of Winchester on Route 7, provides treatment to over 6 million gallons of wastewater produced daily.
Contact (Wastewater)
Corey Crabill
Facility Manager
Opequon Water Reclamation Facility
(540) 665-9867, ext. 130
Email
Do NOT Flush Medicines/Drugs
To dispose of unused medicines, please drop them (in their containers) in the red collection box outside the Timbrook Public Safety Center (231 E. Piccadilly Street). No questions asked and anonymous (remove person's name, but keep the name of the prescription/non-prescription on the label).
Do NOT Flush "Flushable" Wipes
Flushable wipes may be flushable but they are NOT treatable and wreak havoc on our wastewater treatment plant. Our crews have to go to extraordinary and icky lengths to clean them out of pipes when they clog up the system. Please toss the wipes in the trash, not the toilet.
Filling a Swimming Pool
Needing assistance filling a swimming pool? Submit the Application to Fill a Swimming Pool and corresponding fee for assistance via hydrant or garden hose.
Hydrant Flushing Program
Each year the City conducts a hydrant preventative maintenance program in order to maintain a high quality and reliable water system and ensure the meetings are fully operational in the event of a fire. Beginning Monday, March 26, 2018 and continuing through October (weather permitting), the City’s Utilities Division will be testing and flushing all of Winchester’s 1,200 fire hydrants as part of an annual maintenance program.
As a result of this program, customers may notice some discolored water, but there will be no disruption of service. This discoloration consists primarily of harmless silt and minerals that build up in the water mains which do not affect the water’s safety. If discoloration occurs after crews have flushed the hydrants, run all water faucets for one to two minutes to clear the water.
Questions or concerns about hydrant flushing can be directed to the City’s Public Utilities Division staff at (540) 662-5353, ext. 2.
Drought Response Plan
When necessary, the City Manager will activate the City's Drought Response Plan. There are three stages to the plan:
Watch
The following are voluntary activities the City recommends residents consider while a Drought Watch is in effect:
- Mow lawns to two inches or more and leave clippings (higher cut encourages grass roots to grow deeper to hold soil moisture better than closely clipped lawn)
- Use mulch around plants to reduce evaporation
- Aerate lawn to reduce evaporation
- Avoid over fertilizing your lawn. Fertilizer applications increase the need for water. Apply fertilizers that contain slow‐release, water‐insoluble forms of nitrogen.
- Place rain barrels under gutter downspouts to collect water for plants, car washing, or general cleaning projects
- Plant native or dry‐loving (xeric) plants in landscaping
- Do not use the garbage disposal
- Use automatic dishwasher only when load is full
- Limit showers to 5 to 10 minutes/day/person
- Avoid running water to get cold a temperature and keep a pitcher of cold water in fridge
- Wrap hot water heater and pipes with insulating material
- Install faucet aerators