What was found in Greensboro'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 | 5410 µg/L 54% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L | 18/29 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 4800 µg/L 48% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L | 10/29 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 2070 µg/L 159% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 1300 µg/L | 21/29 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 1700 µg/L 43% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L | 23/29 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 101 µg/L 126% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 80 µg/L | 14/29 | SYR4 |
| Nitrite | 100 µg/L 10% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L | 1/29 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 84 µg/L No EPA limit set | 6/29 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 82 µg/L 137% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 60 µg/L | 5/29 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 44 µg/L No EPA limit set | 6/29 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 44 µg/L 293% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 15 µg/L | 12/29 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 43 µg/L No EPA limit set | 5/29 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 27 µg/L No EPA limit set | 6/29 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 26 µg/L 1.3% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L | 1/29 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 26 µg/L No EPA limit set | 2/29 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 17 µg/L No EPA limit set | 2/29 | SYR4 |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | 12.5 pCi/L No EPA limit set | 11/29 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 8.046 µg/L 27% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L | 8/29 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 8 µg/L No EPA limit set | 4/29 | SYR4 |
| Xylenes, Total | 5.1 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L | 2/29 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 5 µg/L No EPA limit set | 10/29 | SYR4 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U | 4.8 pCi/L 32% of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L | 2/29 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 4.3 pCi/L 86% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L | 11/29 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroethylene | 2.3 µg/L 46% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L | 1/29 | SYR4 |
| Tetrachloroethylene | 1.8 µg/L 36% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L | 1/29 | SYR4 |
| Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate | 1.7 µg/L 28% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L | 1/29 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 1.6 µg/L No EPA limit set | 3/29 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 1.4 µg/L 2.8% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L | 1/29 | SYR4 |
| Benzene | 1.2 µg/L 24% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L | 1/29 | SYR4 |
| 1,2-Dichloroethane | 1.1 µg/L 22% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L | 1/29 | SYR4 |
| 1,1-Dichloroethylene | 0.6000 µg/L 8.6% of the EPA limit 7 µg/L | 1/29 | SYR4 |
| Chlordane | 0.5000 µg/L 25% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L | 1/29 | SYR4 |
| Heptachlor Epoxide | 0.1620 µg/L 81% of the EPA limit 0.2000 µg/L | 1/29 | SYR4 |
| Atrazine | 0.1300 µg/L 4.3% of the EPA limit 3 µg/L | 1/29 | SYR4 |
| PFOS | 0.0356 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/29 | UCMR-5 |
| Ethylene Dibromide | 0.0260 µg/L 52% of the EPA limit 0.0500 µg/L | 1/29 | SYR4 |
| PFHXS | 0.0168 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/29 | UCMR-5 |
| Lead | 0.0130 mg/L 87% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L | 27/29 | LCR |
| Pfhxa | 0.0104 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/29 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfba | 0.0100 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/29 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfpea | 0.0097 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/29 | UCMR-5 |
| 6:2 Fts | 0.0072 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/29 | UCMR-5 |
| PFOA | 0.0056 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/29 | UCMR-5 |
| PFBS | 0.0053 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/29 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfhpa | 0.0038 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/29 | 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 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 Greensboro
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| GREENSBORO, CITY OF | 319,588 |
| CROWN MHP | 353 |
| HUNTINGTON WOODS MHP | 300 |
| SPRINGDALE S/D | 267 |
| HUNTCLIFF S/D | 262 |
| STAFFORDSHIRE ESTATES | 254 |
| STERLINGSHIRE S/D | 201 |
| MONTICELLO ESTATES | 201 |
| MONROE`S MHP | 187 |
| ASHCROFT PARK | 175 |
| WEATHERSTONE @ OLDE FOREST S/D | 170 |
| HOLIDAY HILLS WTR SYSTEM | 135 |
| STERLINGSHIRE EAST | 132 |
| NEW CHARTWELL S/D | 125 |
| CEDAR PARK MHP | 112 |
| STERLING RIDGE S/D | 104 |
| CANDY CREEK ESTATES | 99 |
| BON AIRE ACRES | 81 |
| LAUREL ACRES | 79 |
| NANTUCKET VILLAGE | 78 |
| MAGNOLIA WOODS | 72 |
| QUAIL MEADOWS SD | 68 |
| ALAMANCE MHP LLC | 66 |
| OAK LANE MHP | 56 |
| O`HENRY MHP | 51 |
| CARRIAGE COVE S/D | 51 |
| CEDAR OAKS SOUTH S/D | 45 |
| WARD`S MHP | 41 |
| COUNTRYSIDE S/D | 38 |
Frequently asked questions about Greensboro tap water
Is Greensboro tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 44 contaminants in the water serving Greensboro. 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 Greensboro?
29 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Greensboro, North Carolina to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Greensboro's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Greensboro include Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Copper, Fluoride, TTHM. 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.