Is Durham, NC Tap Water Safe? Quality & Contaminants

What was found in Durham'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	300 µg/L 3% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: DURHAM, CITY OF · 333,490 people · 2019 Highest in the city: 8400 µg/L — WHISPERING PINES MHP · 305 people · 2019	15/26	SYR4
Nitrate-Nitrite	300 µg/L 3% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: DURHAM, CITY OF · 333,490 people · 2018 Highest in the city: 8075 µg/L — WHISPERING PINES MHP · 305 people · 2019	15/26	SYR4
Copper	256.5 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: DURHAM, CITY OF · 333,490 people · 2019 Highest in the city: 1690 µg/L — GREYMOSS S/D · 361 people · 2019	22/26	SYR4
Fluoride	745 µg/L 19% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: DURHAM, CITY OF · 333,490 people · 2019	22/26	SYR4
Barium	733.6 µg/L 37% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Highest in the city: CANTERBURY ESTATES · 293 people · 2018	9/26	SYR4
Nitrite	430 µg/L 43% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Highest in the city: WHISPERING PINES · 183 people · 2019	1/26	SYR4
Cyanide	96.35 µg/L 48% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L Main supplier: DURHAM, CITY OF · 333,490 people · 2019	1/26	SYR4
TTHM	68.55 µg/L 86% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: DURHAM, CITY OF · 333,490 people · 2019	22/26	SYR4
Combined Uranium	58.6166 µg/L 195% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 30 µg/L Highest in the city: THE HILLS OF ROSEMONT · 192 people · 2019	8/26	SYR4
Chloroform	57 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: DURHAM, CITY OF · 333,490 people · 2019	14/26	SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)	48.2 µg/L 80% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: DURHAM, CITY OF · 333,490 people · 2019	11/26	SYR4
Bromoform	2.985 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: DURHAM, CITY OF · 333,490 people · 2019 Highest in the city: 35.8 µg/L — THE HILLS OF ROSEMONT · 192 people · 2018	14/26	SYR4
Dichloroacetic Acid	25 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: DURHAM, CITY OF · 333,490 people · 2019	8/26	SYR4
Trichloroacetic Acid	23 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: DURHAM, CITY OF · 333,490 people · 2019	4/26	SYR4
Gross Beta Particle Activity	4.3 pCi/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: DURHAM, CITY OF · 333,490 people · 2017 Highest in the city: 21.2 pCi/L — THE HILLS OF ROSEMONT · 192 people · 2018	9/26	SYR4
Dibromochloromethane	1.7 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: DURHAM, CITY OF · 333,490 people · 2019 Highest in the city: 19 µg/L — TRAPPER`S CREEK S/D · 158 people · 2017	18/26	SYR4
Lead	4.85 µg/L 32% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: DURHAM, CITY OF · 333,490 people · 2019 Highest in the city: 12.4885 µg/L — LAKE RIDGE PARK · 125 people · 2017	16/26	SYR4
Bromodichloromethane	10 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: DURHAM, CITY OF · 333,490 people · 2019	15/26	SYR4
Monochloroacetic Acid	9.2 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: DURHAM, CITY OF · 333,490 people · 2019	1/26	SYR4
Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U	8.655 pCi/L 58% of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L Highest in the city: WHISPERING PINES MHP · 305 people · 2013	1/26	SYR4
Dibromoacetic Acid	1.8 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: DURHAM, CITY OF · 333,490 people · 2019 Highest in the city: 6.9 µg/L — TRAPPER`S CREEK S/D · 158 people · 2017	12/26	SYR4
Combined Radium (-226 And -228)	5.49 pCi/L 110% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 5 pCi/L Highest in the city: CANTERBURY ESTATES · 293 people · 2019	8/26	SYR4
Xylenes, Total	4.44 µg/L 0% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Highest in the city: ARBOR HILL MHP · 96 people · 2019	5/26	SYR4
Arsenic	4.2 µg/L 42% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Highest in the city: BIRCHWOOD MHP · 312 people · 2019	1/26	SYR4
Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate	3.3 µg/L 55% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L Highest in the city: SHAW HILLS S/D · 66 people · 2019	1/26	SYR4
Toluene	2.935 µg/L 0.3% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Highest in the city: CARDENS CREEK S/D · 183 people · 2019	2/26	SYR4
Tetrachloroethylene	2.91 µg/L 58% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Highest in the city: ORANGE MHP · 144 people · 2019	1/26	SYR4
Dalapon	2.36 µg/L 1.2% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L Main supplier: DURHAM, CITY OF · 333,490 people · 2019	1/26	SYR4
Monobromoacetic Acid	1.94 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: DURHAM, CITY OF · 333,490 people · 2019	3/26	SYR4
Selenium	1.3 µg/L 2.6% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Highest in the city: WOOD`S MHP · 89 people · 2019	1/26	SYR4
Thallium, Total	1 µg/L 50% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L Highest in the city: ORANGE MHP · 144 people · 2019	1/26	SYR4
Dichloromethane	0.9700 µg/L 19% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Highest in the city: CARDENS CREEK S/D · 183 people · 2019	1/26	SYR4
Atrazine	0.5320 µg/L 18% of the EPA limit 3 µg/L Main supplier: DURHAM, CITY OF · 333,490 people · 2019	1/26	SYR4
Simazine	0.3190 µg/L 8% of the EPA limit 4 µg/L Main supplier: DURHAM, CITY OF · 333,490 people · 2019	1/26	SYR4
2,4-D	0.1000 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 70 µg/L Main supplier: DURHAM, CITY OF · 333,490 people · 2019	1/26	SYR4
Heptachlor Epoxide	0.0230 µg/L 11% of the EPA limit 0.2000 µg/L Highest in the city: WHISPERING PINES · 183 people · 2019	2/26	SYR4
PFBS	0.0065 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: DURHAM, CITY OF · 333,490 people · 2023	1/26	UCMR-5
Lead	0.0 mg/L 0% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: DURHAM, CITY OF · 333,490 people · 2025 Highest in the city: 0.0060 mg/L — FOX RUN S/D · 272 people · 2025	26/26	LCR
PFOS	0.0058 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: DURHAM, CITY OF · 333,490 people · 2023	1/26	UCMR-5
Pfba	0.0052 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: DURHAM, CITY OF · 333,490 people · 2023	1/26	UCMR-5
PFOA	0.0041 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: DURHAM, CITY OF · 333,490 people · 2023	1/26	UCMR-5

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 Durham

Supplier	Population served
DURHAM, CITY OF	333,490
HARDSCRABBLE S/D	643
GREYMOSS S/D	361
WILLOW HILL S/D	329
BIRCHWOOD MHP	312
WHISPERING PINES MHP	305
CANTERBURY ESTATES	293
FOX RUN S/D	272
HEATHER GLEN S/D	255
MAPLE RIDGE MHP	216
THE HILLS OF ROSEMONT	192
CARDENS CREEK S/D	183
WHISPERING PINES	183
TRAPPER`S CREEK S/D	158
ORANGE MHP	144
LAKE RIDGE PARK	125
TYNDRUM S/D	102
MASONWOODS S/D	97
STONEGATE MHP S/D	96
ARBOR HILL MHP	96
WOOD`S MHP	89
KERLEY GARDENS	87
HIGHLAND PARK S/D	76
BRENTWOOD S/D	69
SHAW HILLS S/D	66
KEENELAND MANOR S/D	51

Frequently asked questions about Durham tap water

Is Durham tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 41 contaminants in the water serving Durham. 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 Durham?

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

What contaminants are in Durham's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Durham include Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Copper, Fluoride, Barium. 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.