State Well Water Guide
North Carolina Private Well Water Guide
About 2.5 million North Carolinians — 35% of the state — rely on private wells. North Carolina faces a significant PFAS challenge: the state is home to some of the most contaminated PFAS groundwater sites in the nation, particularly from Chemours' Fayetteville Works facility (GenX contamination) and military installations across the state. Additionally, naturally occurring arsenic and uranium in the Piedmont and Mountain crystalline rocks, agricultural nitrates in the Coastal Plain, and radium in the eastern coastal plain aquifers create multi-faceted risks. NCDHHS and NCDEQ provide oversight but do not mandate private well testing.
Testing Guidance
NCDHHS recommends annual testing for coliform bacteria and nitrates. Eastern NC Coastal Plain well owners should test for nitrates, arsenic, and radium. Piedmont well owners should test for arsenic. Cumberland and Bladen county well owners near the Cape Fear River basin should test specifically for GenX (HFPO-DA) and other PFAS compounds. All well owners near military bases should test for PFAS.
What to Test For in North Carolina
Total coliform bacteria and E. coli — annual minimum
Nitrates — Coastal Plain agricultural areas
Arsenic — Piedmont and Mountain crystalline rock wells
PFAS and GenX (HFPO-DA) — Cape Fear River basin, near Chemours Fayetteville Works, military bases
Radium-226 and -228 — eastern NC Coastal Plain aquifers
Uranium — some Piedmont granitic rock wells
Iron and manganese — Coastal Plain aquifer wells
Volatile organic compounds — near industrial sites in the Piedmont
Common Contamination Risks in North Carolina
PFAS/GenX contamination — Chemours' Fayetteville Works has contaminated the Cape Fear River and surrounding groundwater with novel PFAS compounds, affecting wells in a large area of southeast NC
PFAS from military bases — Fort Bragg (now Fort Liberty), Seymour Johnson AFB, Camp Lejeune, and Cherry Point MCAS have all been associated with PFAS groundwater contamination
Arsenic from Piedmont crystalline rock — naturally elevated in metamorphic and igneous geology
Radium in eastern coastal plain aquifers — Castle Hayne aquifer has elevated radium in several counties
Agricultural nitrates — intensive swine, poultry, and crop operations in the Coastal Plain contribute heavily to shallow aquifer nitrate loading
Contaminant Guides Relevant to NC Wells
PFAS
Synthetic Chemicals
EPA limit: 4 ppt
Lead
Heavy Metals
EPA limit: 15 ppb (action level)
Nitrates
Agricultural Chemicals
EPA limit: 10 mg/L
DBPs
Disinfection Byproducts
EPA limit: 80 µg/L (TTHMs) / 60 µg/L (HAA5)
Arsenic
Heavy Metals
EPA limit: 10 ppb
Hard Water
Minerals
EPA limit: No federal limit
Chlorine
Disinfection Chemicals
EPA limit: 4 mg/L (MRDL)
Microplastics
Emerging Contaminants
EPA limit: No federal limit
Bacteria
Microbial Contamination
EPA limit: Zero E. coli / < 1 coliform per 100 mL
Fluoride
Minerals
EPA limit: 4 mg/L (MCL) / 2 mg/L (Secondary MCL)
Chromium-6
Heavy Metals
EPA limit: 100 ppb (total chromium)
Copper
Heavy Metals
EPA limit: 1.3 mg/L (action level)
Radon
Radioactive Contaminants
EPA limit: No finalized MCL
Iron & Manganese
Minerals
EPA limit: 0.3 mg/L iron / 0.05 mg/L manganese (aesthetic SMCLs)
Atrazine
Agricultural Chemicals
EPA limit: 3 ppb (0.003 mg/L)
Uranium
Radioactive Contaminants
EPA limit: 30 µg/L (30 ppb)
Perchlorate
Industrial Chemicals
EPA limit: 0.056 mg/L (56 ppb)
VOCs
Industrial Chemicals
EPA limit: Varies by compound: benzene 5 ppb; TCE 5 ppb; PCE 5 ppb; vinyl chloride 2 ppb
Radium
Radioactive Contaminants
EPA limit: 5 pCi/L (combined Ra-226 + Ra-228)
Crypto & Giardia
Microbial Contamination
EPA limit: Zero (treatment technique standard)
Hydrogen Sulfide
Naturally Occurring Compounds
EPA limit: No MCL; Secondary MCL (aesthetic) of 0.05 mg/L
Selenium
Minerals
EPA limit: 50 ppb (0.05 mg/L)
Cadmium
Heavy Metals
EPA limit: 5 ppb (0.005 mg/L)
Mercury
Heavy Metals
EPA limit: 2 ppb (0.002 mg/L)
Barium
Heavy Metals
EPA limit: 2 mg/L
Find a Certified Lab in North Carolina
Use the North Carolina state-certified laboratory program to find accredited labs for private well testing. Always verify current certification before submitting samples.
NC Certified Lab Directory ↗North Carolina Well Water FAQs
Related Pages
Data Sources & Provenance
All data on this page is sourced from official U.S. government or public datasets.
Quick Reference
State program
NC Certified Labs ↗EPA guidance
EPA Private Wells Program ↗State lab directory
NC Certified Labs ↗Minimum Annual Tests
Plus state-specific contaminants listed above
Other State Guides