Is Chapel Hill, NC Tap Water Safe? Quality & Contaminants

What was found in Chapel Hill's water

The highest level seen across the city's suppliers, the EPA limit for each, and where the figure comes from.

Contaminant	Level vs EPA limit	Suppliers	Source
Nitrate	5900 µg/L 59% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L	13/27	SYR4
Nitrate-Nitrite	4900 µg/L 49% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L	14/27	SYR4
Copper	3160 µg/L 243% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 1300 µg/L	26/27	SYR4
Fluoride	670 µg/L 17% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L	24/27	SYR4
Barium	529 µg/L 26% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L	9/27	SYR4
TTHM	458 µg/L 573% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 80 µg/L	16/27	SYR4
Lead	408 µg/L 2720% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 15 µg/L	12/27	SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)	329 µg/L 548% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 60 µg/L	12/27	SYR4
Chloroform	316 µg/L No EPA limit set	12/27	SYR4
Dichloroacetic Acid	216 µg/L No EPA limit set	11/27	SYR4
Nitrite	150 µg/L 15% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L	2/27	SYR4
Bromodichloromethane	71 µg/L No EPA limit set	13/27	SYR4
Dibromoacetic Acid	51 µg/L No EPA limit set	7/27	SYR4
Dibromochloromethane	49 µg/L No EPA limit set	12/27	SYR4
Trichloroacetic Acid	34 µg/L No EPA limit set	6/27	SYR4
Monochloroacetic Acid	28 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/27	SYR4
Bromoform	25 µg/L No EPA limit set	10/27	SYR4
Carbon Tetrachloride	18 µg/L 360% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 5 µg/L	4/27	SYR4
Gross Beta Particle Activity	15.4 pCi/L No EPA limit set	5/27	SYR4
Arsenic	14 µg/L 140% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 10 µg/L	2/27	SYR4
Combined Uranium	9.3423 µg/L 31% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L	5/27	SYR4
Combined Radium (-226 And -228)	7.6 pCi/L 152% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 5 pCi/L	11/27	SYR4
Toluene	6.4 µg/L 0.6% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L	3/27	SYR4
Antimony, Total	3.95 µg/L 66% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L	1/27	SYR4
Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U	3.8 pCi/L 25% of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L	1/27	SYR4
Monobromoacetic Acid	2.2 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/27	SYR4
Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate	1.94 µg/L 32% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L	1/27	SYR4
Xylenes, Total	1.4 µg/L 0% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L	2/27	SYR4
Chlordane	0.6750 µg/L 34% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L	1/27	SYR4
Heptachlor Epoxide	0.0620 µg/L 31% of the EPA limit 0.2000 µg/L	1/27	SYR4
Lead	0.0070 mg/L 47% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L	27/27	LCR

Each bar shows the measured level as a share of the EPA limit: green is well under, amber is close to it, red is over. For lead and copper the limit applies to exactly the 90th-percentile figure shown, so red there means a real exceedance. For everything else the limit applies to a running annual average while the figure is the single worst sample on record — over 100% is worth reading, but is not by itself a violation. Formal violations are listed separately. These are the utilities' own EPA-reported results, not a city-wide average. A detection means the lab measured the substance — it isn't the same as exceeding a legal limit. Hover a source tag to see the EPA program and years behind each figure.

Water suppliers serving Chapel Hill

Supplier	Population served
STONERIDGE MASTER	681
BEECHWOOD COVE/POLKS LANDING	406
COLVARD FARMS S/D	365
CHATHAM S/D	365
RIDGEWOOD MHP	330
ROBIN`S WOOD	246
NORTHWOOD S/D	208
THE TRAILS S/D	200
BINGHAM WOODS MHP	190
WOODBRIDGE S/D	143
HILL TOP MHP	139
CEDAR TERRACE APARTMENTS	123
WILDCAT CREEK S/D	114
CHATHAM PINES LLC	98
EUGLENA JUNCTION	96
HEARTWOOD S/D	94
SOUTH GROVE SUBDIVISION	75
RILEY`S MHP	65
OAK GROVE MHP	64
STURBRIDGE VILLAGE	53
FOXBORO ESTATES	48
CEDAR VILLAGE II	46
POLKS TRAIL S/D	43
MANNSFIELD CONDOMINIUMS	41
CEDAR LAKE CONDO	40
MORRIS GROVE HEIGHTS	33
HOMESTEAD MHP	25

Frequently asked questions about Chapel Hill tap water

Is Chapel Hill tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 31 contaminants in the water serving Chapel Hill. A detection isn't the same as a violation — most detected levels are within federal limits. Check the level and source for each contaminant above, and your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for the official compliance status.

How many water suppliers serve Chapel Hill?

27 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Chapel Hill, North Carolina to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.

What contaminants are in Chapel Hill's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Chapel Hill include Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Copper, Fluoride, Barium. The full list, with the highest level found and the data source, is in the table above.

Where does this data come from?

Every figure is official EPA drinking-water monitoring — the Lead & Copper Rule, the UCMR-5 nationwide testing program, and the EPA Six-Year Review — not our own testing. Each number is labelled with its source and period.