News Flash

For more than twenty years, drinking water in Forsyth County has met or surpassed all water quality standards established by the Environmental Protection Agency. That excellent record continues today with the 2022 Water Quality Report recently published by Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utilities and available online at cityofws.org/wqr2022. 

 The annual report details test results of water drawn from the Yadkin River and Salem Lake and then treated at the Neilson, Thomas and Swann water treatment plants in Forsyth County. This report is required by the EPA and enforced by the Division of Water Resources at the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality.  

Alan Fowler, water treatment superintendent for WSFC Utilities, says the department is dedicated to non-stop delivery of safe water to area homes and businesses.

“Our facilities are staffed around-the-clock by state-certified operators who run more than 850 water quality tests every day and closely monitor every step of the production process,” Fowler said. “As it has for decades, the annual report can provide customers with confidence in the quality and value of the water we deliver throughout the county.”

Tables in the report indicate allowed and ideal levels for regulated and unregulated substances that may be found in water, as well as the average and range of levels detected within the water supply at testing points. Some substances are natural and harmless, while others may present a hazard to human health. 

The report also lists physical and mineral characteristics of the water delivered by Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utilities, source water information and additional material required or recommended by the EPA. This year’s report is supplemented by information on the WaterSavvy smart meter program, the modernization project at Neilson Water Treatment Plant and a multiyear nationwide inventory of customer-owned water service lines mandated by the EPA to ensure all utilities meet lead compliance requirements.

To view current and past reports, visit wsfcutilities.org and click on the “Water Quality” button. Click “Select Language” at the bottom of any City of Winston-Salem webpage for more than 100 translation options. Printed reports in English are available in the lobby of Stuart Municipal Building, 100 E. First Street, at select library branches and by request at citylink@cityofws.org or 336-727-8000.