North Carolina tap water quality
1,982 community water systems serving 9.7 million people.
Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it
66
systems with PFAS above a federal limit
2.5 million
people served by them
285
systems EPA tested for PFAS
5
systems above the lead action level
PFAS: EPA's 2023–2025 testing. Lead: results from the last five years. 12 more systems have no recent lead results in EPA's database.
Water systems with PFAS above the federal limit
Based on EPA's UCMR 5 results (2023–2025) compared to the April 2024 limits, the way EPA compares them. Systems have until 2029 to comply. Largest first.
- City of Durham333,490 people · Surface water · North CarolinaPFOS above limitAlso: PFOA detected
- City of Greensboro319,588 people · Surface water · North CarolinaPFOS above limitAlso: PFOA detected · PFHxS detected
- Fayetteville Public Works Commission226,441 people · Surface water · North CarolinaPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit · PFHxS detected
- Brunswick County Water System151,357 people · Surface water · North CarolinaPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit · PFHxS detected · HFPO-DA detected · 1 health-based violation since 2016
- Harnett Regional Water121,885 people · Surface water · North CarolinaPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit · PFHxS detected
- City of Concord120,771 people · Surface water · North CarolinaPFOS above limitAlso: Haloacetic acids (HAA5) violations · PFHxS detected
- City of High Point118,662 people · Surface water · North CarolinaPFOS above limitAlso: PFOA detected · PFHxS detected · 1 health-based violation since 2016
- Johnston County – West99,027 people · Surface water · North CarolinaPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit · PFHxS detected
- Robeson County Water System67,970 people · Groundwater · North CarolinaPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit · HFPO-DA above limit · PFAS Hazard Index above limit · 1 health-based violation since 2016
- Old North Utilities Services/Ft Bragg65,000 people · Purchased surface water · North CarolinaPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit · PFHxS detected
- City of Burlington61,365 people · Surface water · North CarolinaPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit · Coliform bacteria violation · PFHxS detected
- City of Rocky Mount55,891 people · Surface water · North CarolinaPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit
- Town of Holly Springs51,947 people · Purchased surface water · North CarolinaPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit · PFHxS detected
- Lincoln County Water Treatment Plant49,693 people · Surface water · North CarolinaPFOA above limitAlso: 1 health-based violation since 2016
- City of Sanford48,350 people · Surface water · North CarolinaPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit · PFHxS detected · 1 health-based violation since 2016
- City of Goldsboro34,959 people · Surface water · North CarolinaPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit · 1 health-based violation since 2016
- Moore County Public Utilities – Pinehurst31,390 people · Purchased surface water · North CarolinaPFOS above limitAlso: PFOA detected · PFHxS detected
- Iredell Water Corporation29,370 people · Purchased surface water · North CarolinaPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit · PFHxS detected · 1 health-based violation since 2016
- City of Asheboro27,819 people · Surface water · North CarolinaPFOS above limitAlso: Haloacetic acids (HAA5) violations · PFOA detected · PFHxS detected
- City of Kinston27,475 people · Purchased surface water · North CarolinaPFOS above limitAlso: PFOA detected · PFHxS detected
- Town of Oak Island26,924 people · Purchased surface water · North CarolinaPFOS above limitAlso: PFOA detected · PFHxS detected · HFPO-DA detected
- Johnston County – East25,212 people · Surface water · North CarolinaPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit · PFHxS detected
- City of Lumberton24,460 people · Surface water · North CarolinaPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit · 1 health-based violation since 2016
- Town of Harrisburg20,549 people · Purchased surface water · North CarolinaPFOS above limitAlso: Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) violations · PFHxS detected
- City of Mebane20,212 people · Purchased surface water · North CarolinaPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit
- South Granville Water&sewer Authority18,555 people · Surface water · North CarolinaPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit · Haloacetic acids (HAA5) violations · Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) violations
- City of Graham18,354 people · Surface water · North CarolinaPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit
- Bayleaf Master Water System16,715 people · Groundwater · North CarolinaPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit · PFHxS above limit · PFAS Hazard Index above limit
- City of Lincolnton16,309 people · Surface water · North CarolinaPFOA above limit
- North Lenoir Water Corp15,494 people · Purchased surface water · North CarolinaPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit · PFHxS detected
And 20 more in the full list of North Carolina utilities below.
North Carolina PFAS report: chart, rankings and data to download →
Largest water systems in North Carolina
- Charlotte Water1.2 million people · Surface water · North CarolinaNo PFAS above limits
- City of Raleigh650,000 people · Surface water · North CarolinaPFOS detected
- City of Winston-Salem391,900 people · Surface water · North CarolinaNo PFAS above limits
- City of Durham333,490 people · Surface water · North CarolinaPFOS above limitAlso: PFOA detected
- City of Greensboro319,588 people · Surface water · North CarolinaPFOS above limitAlso: PFOA detected · PFHxS detected
- Town of Cary227,300 people · Surface water · North CarolinaColiform bacteria violation
- Fayetteville Public Works Commission226,441 people · Surface water · North CarolinaPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit · PFHxS detected
- CFPUA-Wilmington212,227 people · Surface water · North CarolinaNo PFAS above limits
- Union County Water System169,685 people · Surface water · North CarolinaHaloacetic acids (HAA5) violationAlso: Coliform bacteria violation · PFOA detected · PFOS detected
- City of Asheville157,431 people · Surface water · North CarolinaNo PFAS above limitsAlso: 1 health-based violation since 2016
- Onslow Water and Sewer Authority156,755 people · Groundwater · North CarolinaLithium above screening levelAlso: 1 health-based violation since 2016
- Davidson Water Inc154,307 people · Surface water · North CarolinaNo PFAS above limits
- Brunswick County Water System151,357 people · Surface water · North CarolinaPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit · PFHxS detected · HFPO-DA detected · 1 health-based violation since 2016
- Harnett Regional Water121,885 people · Surface water · North CarolinaPFOA above limitAlso: PFOS above limit · PFHxS detected
- City of Concord120,771 people · Surface water · North CarolinaPFOS above limitAlso: Haloacetic acids (HAA5) violations · PFHxS detected
North Carolina cities and towns
- Apex
- Asheboro
- Asheville
- Burlington
- Cary
- Chapel Hill
- Charlotte
- Clayton
- Concord
- Cornelius
- Durham
- Fayetteville
- Fuquay-Varina
- Garner
- Gastonia
- Goldsboro
- Greensboro
- Greenville
- Hickory
- High Point
- Holly Springs
- Huntersville
- Jacksonville
- Kannapolis
- Kernersville
- Leland
- Mint Hill
- Monroe
- Mooresville
- New Bern
- Raleigh
- Rocky Mount
- Salisbury
- Sanford
- Statesville
- Thomasville
- Wake Forest
- Wilmington
- Wilson
- Winston-Salem
Most health-based violations since 2016
- Circle H MHP68 people · Groundwater · North CarolinaRadium (combined 226/228) violationsAlso: Coliform bacteria violation
- Town of Mount Pleasant1,786 people · Surface water · North CarolinaTotal trihalomethanes (TTHM) violationsAlso: Haloacetic acids (HAA5) violations
- Town of Edenton5,500 people · Groundwater · North CarolinaTotal trihalomethanes (TTHM) violationsAlso: Lithium above screening level
- Hamlet Water System10,635 people · Surface water · North CarolinaPFOS above limitAlso: Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) violations · Haloacetic acids (HAA5) violations · PFOA detected
- Montgomery County Water System15,362 people · Surface water · North CarolinaHaloacetic acids (HAA5) violationsAlso: Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) violations · PFOS detected
- Pender County Utilities32,302 people · Surface water · North CarolinaTotal trihalomethanes (TTHM) violationsAlso: Haloacetic acids (HAA5) violation
- Rockbridge S/D Water System1,042 people · Groundwater · North CarolinaUranium violationsAlso: Gross alpha violations · Radium (combined 226/228) violations
- Southern Trace S/D Water System485 people · Groundwater · North CarolinaGross alpha violationsAlso: Uranium violations
- Town of Carthage4,307 people · Surface water · North CarolinaHaloacetic acids (HAA5) violationsAlso: Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) violations
- Town of Ramseur1,790 people · Surface water · North CarolinaTotal trihalomethanes (TTHM) violationsAlso: Haloacetic acids (HAA5) violations
- Town of Kenly2,301 people · Purchased surface water · North CarolinaTotal trihalomethanes (TTHM) violations
- Rockingham County – 220 Corridor1,200 people · Purchased surface water · North CarolinaTotal trihalomethanes (TTHM) violationsAlso: Haloacetic acids (HAA5) violations
- Knightdale MHP Estates LLC285 people · Groundwater · North CarolinaGross alpha violationsAlso: Radium (combined 226/228) violations
- Edgecombe Water & Sewer District14,485 people · Purchased surface water · North CarolinaTotal trihalomethanes (TTHM) violationsAlso: Haloacetic acids (HAA5) violations · PFOA detected · PFOS detected
- Stanly County – Piney Point District1,013 people · Purchased surface water · North CarolinaHaloacetic acids (HAA5) violationsAlso: Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) violations
All North Carolina utilities on this site
Every North Carolina system serving 50,000+ people or with PFAS above a federal limit, A to Z. Download all 1,982 systems as CSV.
- Bayleaf Master Water System
- Brookwood Community Water System
- Brunswick County Water System
- Brunswick Regional Water and Sewer H2go
- Carolina Trace Water System
- Central Nash Water & Sewer
- CFPUA-Wilmington
- Charlotte Water
- City of Archdale
- City of Asheboro
- City of Asheville
- City of Bessemer City
- City of Burlington
- City of Concord
- City of Dunn
- City of Durham
- City of Goldsboro
- City of Graham
- City of Greensboro
- City of Hendersonville
- City of Hickory
- City of High Point
- City of Kannapolis
- City of Kinston
- City of Lincolnton
- City of Lumberton
- City of Mebane
- City of Raleigh
- City of Randleman
- City of Rocky Mount
- City of Sanford
- City of Wilson
- City of Winston-Salem
- Cleveland County Water
- Cliffdale West Water System
- Davidson Water Inc
- Deep Run Water Corporation
- East Moore Water District
- Eastover Sanitary District
- Fayetteville Public Works Commission
- Flowers Plantation
- Fort Bragg Linden Oaks Water System
- Grassy Pond Water Corporation
- Greenville Utilities Commission
- Hamlet Water System
- Harnett Regional Water
- Hoke County Regional – Rockfish
- Iredell Water Corporation
- Johnston County – East
- Johnston County – West
- Lincoln County Water Treatment Plant
- Moore County Public Utilities – Pinehurst
- Newport Water System
- North Lenoir Water Corp
- Northampton – Lake Gaston Water System
- Old North Utilities Services/Ft Bragg
- Onslow Water and Sewer Authority
- Orange Water & Sewer Authority
- Orange-Alamance Water System
- Robeson County Water System
- Seymour Johnson AFB
- South Granville Water&sewer Authority
- Southgate S/D Water System
- Town of Aberdeen
- Town of Angier
- Town of Apex
- Town of Ayden
- Town of Benson
- Town of Cary
- Town of Elon
- Town of Gibsonville
- Town of Grifton
- Town of Harrisburg
- Town of Holden Beach
- Town of Holly Springs
- Town of Jamestown
- Town of Littleton
- Town of Mooresville
- Town of Nashville
- Town of Oak Island
- Town of Ocean Isle Beach
- Town of Selma
- Town of Siler City
- Town of Spring Lake
- Two Rivers Utilities
- Union County Water System
Questions
Does North Carolina tap water have PFAS?
EPA tested 285 community water systems in North Carolina for 29 PFAS between 2023 and 2025. 120 had at least one regulated PFAS detected, and 66 had an entry-point average above a 2024 federal limit. Those 66 systems serve about 2.5 million people (26% of people on community water in North Carolina). Systems have until 2029 to meet the limits.
How many North Carolina water systems have violations?
484 systems in North Carolina had at least one health-based violation since 2016 (1,148 violations in total). 85 violations are currently listed as unaddressed.
Which North Carolina water systems are over the lead action level?
5 systems had a lead 90th percentile above the 15 ppb action level in their most recent results from the last five years. Another 12 systems have no lead results in EPA's database from the last five years, including 2 whose last result was above the action level. Lead depends on each home's pipes, so a test of your own tap is the only way to know your level.
Source: U.S. EPA drinking water records and PFAS testing (UCMR 5). How we read the data.