Is North Charleston, SC tap water safe?
Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it
Summary
Charleston Water System, the largest system here, had PFAS above the 2024 federal limits (PFOA, PFOS) in EPA's 2023–2025 testing.
Is it an emergency? No: PFAS limits are about years of exposure, not a glass of water, and nothing in EPA's data calls for you to stop drinking the water today. If your utility issues a boil-water or do-not-drink notice, follow it.
2 public water systems serve parts of North Charleston. The largest, Charleston Water System, serves 278,771 people, and 2 systems here had PFAS above a federal limit. Your water bill names your system.
Largest system
Charleston Water System
278,771 people · Surface water · EPA ID SC1010001
| PFAS | Highest average | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| PFOA Above limit | 4.33 ppt | 4 ppt |
| PFOS Above limit | 5.83 ppt | 4 ppt |
| PFHxS Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| PFNA Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
ppt = parts per trillion. "Highest average" is the highest average at any of the system's entry points, the way EPA compares results with the limits.
For context: the PFOA average is higher than at 80% of the South Carolina systems EPA tested and the PFOS average is higher than at 75% of the South Carolina systems EPA tested.
Lead: 3.5 ppb at the 90th percentile (Dec 2024, and 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below it) Below action level
Health-based violations since 2016: 2
Across South Carolina, 53 of 163 water systems EPA tested had PFAS above a 2024 federal limit, and 3 systems were above the lead action level in results from the last five years. South Carolina results.
North Charleston homes and lead pipes
Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so homes from before then are the ones to check. Renting? Ask your landlord what the service line is made of, because it's their pipe to replace. How to check your own line.
Housing: Census American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for North Charleston city (tables B25034, B25003). Estimates for small places have a margin of error.
Other water systems serving North Charleston
How nearby cities compare
| City | PFAS | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|---|
| Goose Creek 6 mi City of Goose Creek | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Charleston 8 mi Charleston Water System | Above limit | 3.5 ppb |
| Summerville 9 mi Summerville Commission of Public Works | Above limit | 0.3 ppb |
| Mount Pleasant 14 mi Mt Pleasant Waterworks | Above limit | 1 ppb |
| Hilton Head Island 64 mi Hilton Head Public Service District 1 | None above limits | 1 ppb |
| Bluffton 70 mi Bjwsa Palm Key Water System | Not tested | 11 ppb |
North Charleston ZIP codes (7)
- 29404
- 29405
- 29406
- 29418
- 29420
- 29456
- 29485
Questions
Is North Charleston tap water safe to drink?
Charleston Water System had 2 health-based violations since 2016, and EPA testing found PFAS above the 2024 federal limits, which it must meet by 2029. Utility data can't show lead from your own pipes: if your home was built before 1986, test your tap. Your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report is the official summary.
Who supplies water in North Charleston, SC?
2 public water systems serve parts of North Charleston. The largest is Charleston Water System (278,771 people). Your water bill names your system. The EPA ID is also on your utility's Consumer Confidence Report.
Does North Charleston tap water have PFAS?
Yes. EPA's 2023–2025 testing found entry-point averages above the 2024 federal limits for PFOA and PFOS at Charleston Water System. Systems have until 2029 to meet them.
Do North Charleston homes have lead pipes?
Census estimates put 32% of North Charleston homes as built before 1980 (South Carolina: 33%). Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so older homes are more likely to have them. Charleston Water System's service line inventory says what your line is made of. The only way to know for your home is to check the line where it enters the house and test your tap.
Source: U.S. EPA drinking water records and PFAS testing (UCMR 5). How we read the data.