State Hub
North Carolina Water Quality
624
Utilities in database
9.4M
Residents served
1
With open violations
277
PFAS monitored
Quick Answer
North Carolina public drinking water is served by 624 EPA-tracked water systems, providing service to approximately 9.4 million residents through public utilities. 1 of those systems currently have open health-based violations on record in the EPA federal database. 277 systems have official PFAS monitoring records from the EPA UCMR 5 program (2023–2025). About 35% of NC residents use private wells, which fall outside federal utility compliance monitoring.
1 North Carolina water system has an open health-based violation recorded in EPA SDWIS. An open violation means a contaminant exceeded a federal limit and the violation has not been formally resolved in the federal database. Check individual utility pages for current status.
Open Health-Based Violations in North Carolina
Records sourced from EPA SDWIS. A record may be under review or resolved at the utility level but not yet updated in federal records. Water Utility Report does not determine whether water is safe to drink.
Drinking Water in North Carolina
North Carolina has 624 community water systems serving approximately 9.4 million residents. Primary water sources include surface water. The most commonly reported contaminants include disinfection byproducts, lead. 35% of North Carolina residents rely on private wells. NCDEQ holds primary enforcement authority under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Highest Risk Utilities
North Carolina systems with open health-based violations in EPA records.
Safest Large Utilities
North Carolina systems with no open health violations serving 10,000+ residents.
Utilities in North Carolina
1–25 of 624Charlotte Water
NC0160010 · 1,163,701 served
City of Raleigh
NC0392010 · 640,000 served
City of Winston-salem
NC0234010 · 388,060 served
City of Durham
NC0332010 · 322,083 served
City of Greensboro
NC0241010 · 319,588 served
Town of Cary
NC0392020 · 224,000 served
Fayetteville Public Works Comm
NC0326010 · 215,590 served
Cfpua-wilmington
NC0465010 · 198,740 served
Union County Water System
NC0190413 · 167,554 served
City of Asheville
NC0111010 · 157,431 served
Onslow Wtr and Sewer Authority
NC0467035 · 156,755 served
Davidson Water Inc
NC0229025 · 153,632 served
Brunswick County Water System
NC0410045 · 142,227 served
City of Concord
NC0113010 · 120,548 served
City of High Point
NC0241020 · 118,399 served
Harnett Regional Water
NC0343045 · 116,892 served
Greenville Utilities Comm
NC0474010 · 103,140 served
Two Rivers Utilities
NC0136010 · 93,877 served
Johnston Co-west
NC0351070 · 92,365 served
Orange Water & Sewer Authority
NC0368010 · 86,500 served
Town of Apex
NC0392045 · 83,001 served
City of Hendersonville
NC0145010 · 79,278 served
City of Hickory
NC0118010 · 75,654 served
Robeson County Water System
NC0378055 · 67,970 served
Old North Utilities Services/ft Bragg
NC5026019 · 65,000 served
Key Contaminant Concerns in North Carolina
These contaminants appear most frequently in North Carolina utility records or pose elevated risk in this region based on EPA data.
Lead
Lead is a naturally occurring heavy metal that was widely used in plumbing infrastructure until it was banned for new installations in 1986. An estimated 9.2 million lead service lines still connect homes to public water mains across the United States, along with millions of homes with lead solder in their internal plumbing. Critically, a utility's water quality report can show zero detected lead at the treatment plant while your specific tap still delivers elevated lead — because the contamination happens inside the distribution system and your home's plumbing, not at the source.
EPA limit: 15 ppb (action level)
DBPs
When utilities add chlorine to water to kill pathogens, it reacts with dissolved organic matter — leaves, algae, soil — to produce disinfection byproducts (DBPs). Over 600 DBPs have been identified. The EPA regulates two groups: total trihalomethanes (TTHMs, including chloroform) and haloacetic acids (HAA5). DBP levels tend to be highest in surface water systems and in warm months when organic matter is elevated.
EPA limit: 80 µg/L (TTHMs) / 60 µg/L (HAA5)
City Water Reports in North Carolina
Tap water quality pages for North Carolina cities — violations, PFAS records, utility profiles, and official source links.
Independent Water Testing
Find a certified lab in North Carolina
Utility compliance records show what water systems report to the EPA. An independent test from a certified laboratory confirms what's actually in your tap water. North Carolina labs can test for PFAS, lead, nitrates, bacteria, and dozens of other contaminants.
Explore Water Quality in North Carolina
Charlotte Water
Violation history, PFAS records, and official source links
City of Raleigh
Violation history, PFAS records, and official source links
City of Winston-salem
Violation history, PFAS records, and official source links
PFAS monitoring records — North Carolina
277 water systems in North Carolina with EPA UCMR 5 records
Active drinking water violations
1 open health-based violation on record — view official EPA SDWIS data
Lead in North Carolina drinking water
State-specific lead data, violation utilities, and testing guidance
PFAS in North Carolina drinking water
State-specific PFAS data, MCL context, and treatment options
Certified water testing labs in North Carolina
Labs certified for PFAS (EPA 533/537.1), lead, and bacteria testing
Water treatment options
Reverse osmosis, activated carbon, and filtration guides with cost ranges
Data sources and methodology
How WaterUtilityReport.com sources and validates official EPA data
Common Questions About North Carolina Drinking Water
Does North Carolina drinking water have PFAS?
277 North Carolina water systems have EPA UCMR 5 PFAS monitoring records (2023–2025)
Which North Carolina water utilities have open violations?
1 systems have open health-based violations in EPA SDWIS — search for your utility
How do I test my water in North Carolina?
State-certified labs for PFAS (EPA 533/537.1), lead, nitrate, and bacteria testing
What treatment removes PFAS from NC tap water?
Reverse osmosis removes PFAS, lead, arsenic, and nitrates — cost, maintenance, and NSF certification explained
What do North Carolina PFAS records tell me about my water?
EPA limits, health context, and what UCMR 5 detection above MRL means for your water
How is North Carolina water quality data sourced here?
EPA SDWIS violations, UCMR 5 PFAS records, and CCR data — sources, accuracy notes, and limitations
North Carolina Water FAQs
Data sources: Utility compliance and violation data from EPA SDWIS (Safe Drinking Water Information System). PFAS monitoring records from EPA UCMR 5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5, 2023–2025). Contaminant data from EPA and ATSDR public references. This page summarizes public records — it is not a compliance determination. Methodology →
Last updated: 2026-04-17