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Town of Gretna

What EPA’s and CDC’s records show in this utility’s water: nitrate, arsenic and other regulated chemicals; lead and copper; and violations since 2016, with the certification that handles each result.

Serves
2,500 people
Connections
600
Water source
Surface water
Based in
Gretna, VA
County
Pittsylvania
Owner
Local government
The ZIP code it serves

24557

The short answer

2 results are above EPA’s legal limit. The worst: Haloacetic acids (HAA5), above the legal limit. 4 health-based violations since 2016.

What handles it

What was found

Arsenic: Virginia’s yearly averages per water system, as CDC’s Environmental Public Health Tracking Network publishes them, 2021 to 2023.

Haloacetic acids (HAA5) and total trihalomethanes (TTHM): EPA’s violation records from 2020 on, with EPA’s 2012 to 2019 file for earlier years.

Fluoride, nitrate and chromium (total): EPA’s compliance monitoring file, samples taken from April 3, 2012 to Nov. 4, 2019. Newer results are in the utility’s annual water quality report.

Above the legal limit2

Haloacetic acids (HAA5)

Forms or is added in treatment

Above the legal limit

65ppb

Limit violation, 2024

EPA recorded three violations of the legal limit for haloacetic acids (HAA5) at this utility in 2023 and 2024. The highest measured level, for Jan. 1, 2024 to March 31, 2024, was an average of 65 ppb, above EPA’s legal limit of 60 ppb. Earlier, from 2012 to 2019, EPA’s file shows a highest yearly average of 59 ppb, in 2018.

What handles it

No certification claim covers this compound yet.

Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)

Forms or is added in treatment

Above the legal limit

82ppb

Limit violation, 2025

EPA recorded a violation of the legal limit for total trihalomethanes (TTHM) at this utility in 2025. The highest measured level, for Jan. 1, 2025 to March 31, 2025, was an average of 82 ppb, above EPA’s legal limit of 80 ppb. Earlier, from 2012 to 2019, EPA’s file shows a highest yearly average of 76.8 ppb, in 2012.

What handles it

  • NSF/ANSI 53 look for “Trihalomethanes (TTHM) Reduction”
  • NSF/ANSI 58 look for “Trihalomethanes (TTHM) Reduction”

Below EPA’s limits2

Fluoride

Forms or is added in treatment

Below EPA’s limits

0.98ppm

Highest yearly average, 2012 to 2019

2019, one sample: 0.63 ppm

Averaged by year, the highest was 0.98 ppm, in 2012, below EPA’s legal limit of 4.0 ppm. In 2019, the latest year on file, its one sample was 0.63 ppm.

What handles it

Nitrate

Comes from the source

Below EPA’s limits

0.18ppm

Highest sample; found in 8 of 8

2019, one sample: 0.18 ppm

The highest sample, in 2019, was 0.18 ppm, below EPA’s legal limit of 10 ppm. That was also the latest year on file, and its one sample was 0.18 ppm.

What handles it

  • NSF/ANSI 58 look for “Nitrate/Nitrite Reduction”
  • NSF/ANSI 53 look for “Nitrate/Nitrite (30 ppm challenge)”
3 compounds tested and not foundBelow the reporting level in every sample. Not found is not the same as zero.
  • Arsenic
  • Chromium (total)
  • Lead

What handles it

A certification covers specific claims, not a whole standard. Look for these claims on the certifier’s listing, not the box. Wording varies a little: NSF writes “Lead Reduction,” WQA just “Lead.”

  • NSF/ANSI 53

    Claim: Trihalomethanes (TTHM) Reduction

    For: Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)

    Other certifiers’ wording: VOC Reduction

  • NSF/ANSI 58

    Claim: Trihalomethanes (TTHM) Reduction

    For: Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)

At the tap, or for the whole house?

These come with the water itself, so a whole-house system certified for the same claims treats every tap and shower. A filter at the tap treats drinking water for much less. How whole-house systems compare.

Filters with those claims on a certifier’s listing

Disclosure: TapBuff earns a commission if you buy through some links on this page. It does not change which standard or filter we name. As an Amazon Associate, TapBuff earns from qualifying purchases. How TapBuff makes money

Compare five-year costs

Violations since 2016

Contaminant or ruleTypePeriodMeasuredStatus
TTHMThe running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, AverageJan. 1, 2025 to March 31, 20250.082 MG/LResolved
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)The running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, AverageJan. 1, 2024 to March 31, 20240.065 MG/LResolved
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)The running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, AverageOct. 1, 2023 to Dec. 31, 202365 UG/LResolved
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)The running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, AverageJuly 1, 2023 to Sept. 30, 20230.062 MG/LResolved
Health-based violations only. Resolved and archived mean the utility returned to compliance or the state closed the record. 7 monitoring or reporting violations not shown.

What this report can’t tell you

  • Everything else. Arsenic results here are Virginia’s yearly averages as CDC publishes them, from 2021 on, with EPA’s national file for 2012 to 2019. Fluoride, nitrate and chromium (total) come from EPA’s file alone, which ends in 2019. Town of Gretna’s own annual report, which it must send you every year, has newer results for those and the contaminants this page does not show.

  • Your own plumbing. Lead results are the 90th percentile across homes the utility samples. Your home’s service line, solder and fixtures decide yours. A certified lab test is the only way to know.

  • What it means for your health. This page reports what the records show and EPA’s limits and goals; it is not medical advice. If you are worried about a health effect, talk to a doctor or your local health department.

  • Anything after the latest data. SDWIS data is from 2026 Q3; UCMR 5 didn’t sample this utility; CDC’s yearly averages for Virginia cover 2021 to 2023; EPA’s compliance samples are from April 3, 2012 to Nov. 4, 2019.

Testing your own tap

Town of Gretna’s results are for the water it sends out. What your own service line, solder and fixtures add shows up only in a test of your tap, by a lab Virginia certifies.

The 3 labs Virginia certifies closest to the area Town of Gretna serves, in a straight line. Call first: certification is test by test, and not every lab takes samples from homeowners.

  • Otter River Filter Plant

    Evington, VA · about 19 miles

    Certified for bacteria

    (434) 821-8611

  • Willoughby & Associates, Inc.

    Forest, VA · about 27 miles

    Certified for bacteria

    (434) 534-9834

  • American Water Testing Company

    Alton, VA · about 31 miles

    Certified for bacteria

Virginia Household Water Quality Program, Virginia Cooperative Extension: Drinking water clinics in about 70 counties a year, run through local Extension offices: pick up a kit, collect the sample on the set day, and drop it off locally. Each kit tests well, spring or cistern water for 28 things, including bacteria, nitrate, lead and arsenic. $70 a kit, with funding to help if you need it. Virginia Household Water Quality Program.

All 145 certified labs for Virginia

Sources

PWSID VA5143210. Rebuilt from EPA data on Oct. 18, 2026.

Also in Pittsylvania County

All Virginia utilities

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