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
226–250 of 624Burke Co. Water-south
NC0112075 · 5,207 served
Junaluska Sanitary District
NC0144035 · 5,138 served
Kure Beach Water System
NC0465025 · 5,110 served
Southeast Catawba County
NC2018004 · 5,080 served
Bogue Banks Water Corporation
NC0416028 · 4,995 served
Town of China Grove
NC0180040 · 4,895 served
Newport Water System
NC0416020 · 4,829 served
Town of Benson
NC0351025 · 4,802 served
Pine Knoll Shores
NC0416031 · 4,795 served
Town of Boiling Springs
NC0123025 · 4,769 served
Chinquapin Water Association
NC0431050 · 4,686 served
City of Randleman
NC0276015 · 4,631 served
Town of Louisburg
NC0235015 · 4,554 served
Town of Clayton - North
NC4051019 · 4,523 served
Carolina Trace Water System
NC0353101 · 4,516 served
Pfeiffer-n Stanly Water Assoc
NC0184025 · 4,513 served
Town of Ranlo
NC0136034 · 4,511 served
Town of Murphy
NC0120010 · 4,498 served
Town of Beaufort
NC0416010 · 4,452 served
Town of Red Springs
NC0378015 · 4,423 served
North River/mill Creek Water Service Dis
NC0416197 · 4,417 served
Town of Bryson City
NC0187010 · 4,395 served
Wilson Co Southeast Water Dist
NC4098014 · 4,388 served
Town of Norwood
NC0184015 · 4,323 served
Bladen Co Wtr Dist-east Bladen
NC0309060 · 4,310 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
Burke Co. Water-south
Violation history, PFAS records, and official source links
Junaluska Sanitary District
Violation history, PFAS records, and official source links
Kure Beach Water System
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