Home hazard report for 23503 — Norfolk, VA
ZIP 23503 is served by City of Norfolk: no health-based violations since 2016, latest lead result 0 ppb, PFAS 5.8 ppt. Norfolk city is in EPA radon no zone.
No health-based violations reported since 2016.
90th-percentile lead in the latest round (Jan 2021). Lead comes mostly from household plumbing and service lines, so individual homes can be higher.
Highest PFOA or PFOS result in EPA’s 2023–2025 testing was at or above 4.0 ppt, EPA’s 2024 maximum contaminant level for each. 3 PFAS compounds detected.
EPA has not assigned this area a radon zone. Testing is the only way to know.
FEMA’s overall natural-hazard risk for this census tract, relative to the rest of the U.S.
Active or proposed Superfund (National Priorities List) sites near the center of this ZIP code.
Active weather alerts
live from the National Weather ServiceChecking the National Weather Service…
Where ZIP 23503 is
Dashed: ZIP area · blue: utility service area · scroll or pinch to zoomDrinking water: City of Norfolk
Health-based violations
No health-based violations reported since 2016.
Full record for City of Norfolk →
Other systems overlapping this ZIP: Nsa Hampton Roads, Main Base.
Lead
90th-percentile lead per sampling round (90% of the homes sampled were at or below this level). Black line: EPA’s 15 ppb action level; under the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements the action level becomes 10 ppb from 2027.
PFAS (“forever chemicals”)
| Compound | Highest result | Samples with detection | EPA limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFOS | 5.8 ppt | 1 of 8 | 4 ppt MCL |
| PFPeA | 5.1 ppt | 1 of 8 | — |
| PFHxA | 3.7 ppt | 1 of 8 | — |
| PFBS | not detected | 0 of 8 | — |
| PFHxS | not detected | 0 of 8 | — |
| PFBA | not detected | 0 of 8 | — |
| PFHpA | not detected | 0 of 8 | — |
| PFDA | not detected | 0 of 8 | — |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) | not detected | 0 of 8 | — |
| PFOA | not detected | 0 of 8 | 4 ppt MCL |
| PFNA | not detected | 0 of 8 | — |
EPA Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 5), samples 2023–2025; ppt = parts per trillion (ng/L). The 4.0 ppt maximum contaminant levels for PFOA and PFOS were set by EPA in 2024; water systems have until the end of the decade to comply.
Radon in Norfolk city
EPA radon no zone — not mapped. EPA has not assigned this area a radon zone. Testing is the only way to know.
Radon is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas from soil and rock, and the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above and considering it from 2 pCi/L. A short-term test kit costs about $15–30. How radon zones work →
Natural hazard risk
FEMA rates the overall natural-hazard risk of this neighborhood (census tract) as Relatively Low, with relatively low social vulnerability and relatively moderate community resilience.
FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025): expected annual losses from each hazard combined with social vulnerability and community resilience, rated relative to all U.S. census tracts. Hazards not listed are not applicable here. It describes the area, not a single building; flood insurance maps (FEMA FIRMs) decide flood-insurance requirements.
Live conditions: river gauges and flood levels · tornado warnings · wildfire detections · earthquakes — our sister maps, updated from NOAA, USGS and NASA every few minutes.
Superfund sites nearby
| Site | Status | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Norfolk Naval Base (Sewells Point Naval Complex) Norfolk, Virginia · EPA ID VA6170061463 | Active (final NPL) | 2.0 mi |
| Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek Virginia Beach, Virginia · EPA ID VA5170022482 | Active (final NPL) | 7.2 mi |
| Abex Corp. Portsmouth, Virginia · EPA ID VAD980551683 | Active (final NPL) | 8.7 mi |
| Norfolk Naval Shipyard Portsmouth, Virginia · EPA ID VA1170024813 | Active (final NPL) | 8.9 mi |
| Langley Air Force Base/NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, Virginia · EPA ID VA2800005033 | Active (final NPL) | 9.8 mi |
| Former Nansemond Ordnance Depot Suffolk, Virginia · EPA ID VAD123933426 | Active (final NPL) | 9.9 mi |
| Peck Iron and Metal Portsmouth, Virginia · EPA ID VAN000306115 | Active (final NPL) | 9.9 mi |
| Atlantic Wood Industries, Inc. Portsmouth, Virginia · EPA ID VAD990710410 | Active (final NPL) | 10.0 mi |
EPA Superfund National Priorities List (NPL): the country’s most serious known hazardous-waste sites, each with an EPA cleanup record (linked). Distance is measured from the ZIP center to the site’s reference point; being near a site does not by itself mean exposure — EPA site pages describe what was found and how it is being cleaned up.
What this is — and isn’t. These are records your water utility and state reported to the EPA, and the EPA’s radon map for your county. They describe the system and the area, not the water from your own tap or the air in your home. For that, read your utility’s annual Consumer Confidence Report and test: lead and radon tests are inexpensive.
Questions about 23503
Who supplies drinking water to ZIP 23503?
City of Norfolk (EPA ID VA3710100), a surface water (rivers, lakes) system serving about 234,220 people.
Is there lead in Norfolk, VA tap water?
The utility’s latest 90th-percentile lead result (Jan 2021) was 0 ppb; EPA’s action level is 15 ppb, falling to 10 ppb from 2027. Lead mostly comes from service lines and home plumbing, so the only way to know your tap is to test it.
Does Norfolk, VA water have PFAS?
Highest PFOA or PFOS result in EPA’s 2023–2025 testing was at or above 4.0 ppt, EPA’s 2024 maximum contaminant level for each. 3 PFAS compounds detected.
Has the water system in 23503 had violations?
No health-based violations reported since 2016.
What natural hazards affect ZIP 23503?
FEMA’s National Risk Index rates the overall natural-hazard risk here as Relatively Low; the highest-rated hazards are coastal flooding (relatively high), hurricane (relatively moderate), lightning (relatively moderate).
Are there Superfund sites near 23503?
Active or proposed Superfund (National Priorities List) sites near the center of this ZIP code. Sites within 10 miles: Norfolk Naval Base (Sewells Point Naval Complex) (2.0 mi, Active (final NPL)); Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek (7.2 mi, Active (final NPL)); Abex Corp. (8.7 mi, Active (final NPL)).
Is radon a problem in Norfolk city?
Norfolk city is in EPA radon no zone (not mapped). EPA has not assigned this area a radon zone. Testing is the only way to know.