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
251–275 of 624Town of North Wilkesboro
NC0197010 · 4,265 served
Town of Mount Olive
NC0496015 · 4,261 served
Town of Carthage
NC0363025 · 4,255 served
Town of Burgaw
NC0471010 · 4,250 served
Town of Yadkinville
NC0299015 · 4,196 served
Whispering Pines Development
NC0363112 · 4,178 served
Town of Elkin
NC0286020 · 4,076 served
Town of Burnsville
NC0100010 · 4,069 served
Northampton--lake Gaston
NC0466110 · 3,984 served
Town of Wingate
NC0190030 · 3,950 served
Harbour Point S/d
NC0149185 · 3,909 served
Fairfield Sapphire
NC0150113 · 3,873 served
Lillington Water System
NC0343025 · 3,847 served
City of Lowell
NC0136060 · 3,837 served
Fort Bragg Linden Oaks
NC5043001 · 3,733 served
Sampson Co Wtr Dist Ii - Plainview
NC5082022 · 3,725 served
Town of Murfreesboro
NC0446015 · 3,645 served
Town of Wilkesboro
NC0197025 · 3,643 served
Stanly Co-aquadale Dist
NC0184143 · 3,632 served
Town of Troy
NC0362020 · 3,591 served
Broadway Water Association
NC0197035 · 3,556 served
Connestee Falls
NC0188104 · 3,532 served
Stokes Regional Water Corp
NC0474060 · 3,530 served
Usmc Lejeune--rifle Range
NC0467046 · 3,500 served
Town of Topsail Beach
NC0471020 · 3,495 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
Town of North Wilkesboro
Violation history, PFAS records, and official source links
Town of Mount Olive
Violation history, PFAS records, and official source links
Town of Carthage
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