What was found in Charlotte's water
The level at the city's main supplier, the highest level anywhere in the city, the EPA limit for each, and where every figure comes from.
| Contaminant | Level vs EPA limit | Suppliers | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate | 5700 µg/L 57% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Highest in the city: WESTWOOD MHP · 56 people · 2019 | 13/21 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 5100 µg/L 51% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Highest in the city: EASTWOOD FOREST MHP · 375 people · 2015 | 4/21 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 313 µg/L 24% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: CHARLOTTE WATER · 1,163,701 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 963.8 µg/L — HARBOR HOUSE S/D · 25 people · 2018 | 18/21 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 660 µg/L 17% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: CHARLOTTE WATER · 1,163,701 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 775 µg/L — BRADFIELD FARMS S/D · 3,015 people · 2018 | 12/21 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 80.875 µg/L 101% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 80 µg/L Main supplier: CHARLOTTE WATER · 1,163,701 people · 2019 | 13/21 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 73 µg/L 487% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 15 µg/L Main supplier: CHARLOTTE WATER · 1,163,701 people · 2019 | 10/21 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 48.525 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CHARLOTTE WATER · 1,163,701 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 52.88 µg/L — RIVER POINTE ESTATES · 500 people · 2019 | 9/21 | SYR4 |
| Chlorite | 47.215 µg/L 4.7% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Main supplier: CHARLOTTE WATER · 1,163,701 people · 2016 | 1/21 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 46 µg/L 2.3% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Highest in the city: REEDY CREEK MHP · 64 people · 2019 | 4/21 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 23.555 µg/L 39% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: CHARLOTTE WATER · 1,163,701 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 40.18 µg/L — WESTWOOD MHP · 56 people · 2018 | 6/21 | SYR4 |
| Xylenes, Total | 32.93 µg/L 0.3% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Highest in the city: WILDWOOD GREEN/MCILWAINE · 681 people · 2019 | 7/21 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 31 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CHARLOTTE WATER · 1,163,701 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 32.1 µg/L — RIVER POINTE ESTATES · 500 people · 2019 | 11/21 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 22 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CHARLOTTE WATER · 1,163,701 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 25.1 µg/L — RIVER POINTE ESTATES · 500 people · 2019 | 9/21 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 15.585 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CHARLOTTE WATER · 1,163,701 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 24.1 µg/L — WESTWOOD MHP · 56 people · 2018 | 5/21 | SYR4 |
| 1,1-Dichloroethylene | 16.6 µg/L 237% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 7 µg/L Highest in the city: HARBOR HOUSE S/D · 25 people · 2019 | 2/21 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 8.3 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CHARLOTTE WATER · 1,163,701 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 16.3 µg/L — WESTWOOD MHP · 56 people · 2018 | 5/21 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 15.4722 µg/L 52% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L Highest in the city: LAMPLIGHTER SOUTH-DANBY · 3,297 people · 2019 | 4/21 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 15.175 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CHARLOTTE WATER · 1,163,701 people · 2019 | 10/21 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 6.2 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CHARLOTTE WATER · 1,163,701 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 9.075 µg/L — RIVER POINTE ESTATES · 500 people · 2019 | 5/21 | SYR4 |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | 8.7 pCi/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: HARBOR CLUB S/D · 163 people · 2014 | 3/21 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 5.6 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: WESTWOOD MHP · 56 people · 2018 | 3/21 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 5.15 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CHARLOTTE WATER · 1,163,701 people · 2019 | 1/21 | SYR4 |
| Ethylbenzene | 4.37 µg/L 0.6% of the EPA limit 700 µg/L Highest in the city: WILDWOOD GREEN/MCILWAINE · 681 people · 2019 | 4/21 | SYR4 |
| Toluene | 4 µg/L 0.4% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Highest in the city: HARBOR HOUSE S/D · 25 people · 2019 | 3/21 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 3.525 pCi/L 71% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Highest in the city: WESTWOOD FOREST MHP · 333 people · 2018 | 5/21 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 2.85 µg/L 5.7% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Highest in the city: WESTWOOD MHP · 56 people · 2019 | 1/21 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroethylene | 2.325 µg/L 47% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Highest in the city: ROCKY RIDGE S/D · 384 people · 2019 | 3/21 | SYR4 |
| Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate | 2.1 µg/L 35% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L Highest in the city: RHA HEALTH SERVICES, LLC · 363 people · 2019 | 1/21 | SYR4 |
| Thallium, Total | 1 µg/L 50% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L Main supplier: CHARLOTTE WATER · 1,163,701 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 2 µg/L — LAMPLIGHTER SOUTH-DANBY · 3,297 people · 2019 | 2/21 | SYR4 |
| Dalapon | 1.7 µg/L 0.9% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L Highest in the city: MOUNTAIN POINT S/D · 130 people · 2019 | 1/21 | SYR4 |
| Tetrachloroethylene | 1.61 µg/L 32% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Highest in the city: OAKDALE S/D · 112 people · 2019 | 2/21 | SYR4 |
| Chlordane | 0.4390 µg/L 22% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L Highest in the city: OAKDALE S/D · 112 people · 2018 | 1/21 | SYR4 |
| Benzo(A)Pyrene | 0.0400 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 0.2000 µg/L Highest in the city: LARKHAVEN S/D · 416 people · 2019 | 1/21 | SYR4 |
| Endrin | 0.0200 µg/L 1% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L Highest in the city: MOUNTAIN POINT S/D · 130 people · 2019 | 1/21 | SYR4 |
| Pfba | 0.0097 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CHARLOTTE WATER · 1,163,701 people · 2024 | 1/21 | UCMR-5 |
| PFBS | 0.0089 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: LAMPLIGHTER SOUTH-DANBY · 3,297 people · 2023 | 1/21 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfpea | 0.0034 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CHARLOTTE WATER · 1,163,701 people · 2024
Highest in the city: 0.0083 µg/L — LAMPLIGHTER SOUTH-DANBY · 3,297 people · 2023 | 2/21 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfhxa | 0.0074 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: LAMPLIGHTER SOUTH-DANBY · 3,297 people · 2023 | 1/21 | UCMR-5 |
| PFOS | 0.0054 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: LAMPLIGHTER SOUTH-DANBY · 3,297 people · 2023 | 1/21 | UCMR-5 |
| PFHXS | 0.0045 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: LAMPLIGHTER SOUTH-DANBY · 3,297 people · 2023 | 1/21 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfhpa | 0.0036 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: LAMPLIGHTER SOUTH-DANBY · 3,297 people · 2023 | 1/21 | UCMR-5 |
| Lead | 0.0 mg/L 0% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: CHARLOTTE WATER · 1,163,701 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 0.0023 mg/L — ROCKY RIDGE S/D · 384 people · 2025 | 20/21 | 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 95th percentile of the
system's samples — 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 Charlotte
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| CHARLOTTE WATER | 1,163,701 |
| LAMPLIGHTER SOUTH-DANBY | 3,297 |
| BRADFIELD FARMS S/D | 3,015 |
| WILDWOOD GREEN/MCILWAINE | 681 |
| RIVER POINTE ESTATES | 500 |
| LARKHAVEN S/D | 416 |
| ROCKY RIDGE S/D | 384 |
| EASTWOOD FOREST MHP | 375 |
| RHA HEALTH SERVICES, LLC | 363 |
| WESTWOOD FOREST MHP | 333 |
| QUEENS HARBOR/PIER POINT | 310 |
| COUNTRY HILLS S/D | 259 |
| HUNTWOOD MHP | 213 |
| THE ENCLAVE AT CITY PARK | 196 |
| HARBOR CLUB S/D | 163 |
| MOUNTAIN POINT S/D | 130 |
| OAKDALE S/D | 112 |
| RIVERWALK PLANTATION | 89 |
| REEDY CREEK MHP | 64 |
| WESTWOOD MHP | 56 |
| HARBOR HOUSE S/D | 25 |
Frequently asked questions about Charlotte tap water
Is Charlotte tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 42 contaminants in the water serving Charlotte. 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 Charlotte?
21 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Charlotte, North Carolina to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Charlotte's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Charlotte include Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Copper, Fluoride, TTHM. The full list, with the level at the main supplier 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.