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Tap water quality report

Kinston, NC

EPA monitoring detected 30 contaminants across the 5 water suppliers serving Kinston. A detection doesn't automatically mean the water is unsafe — see the level at the main supplier for each below, with its EPA source and period.

5
water suppliers
43,305
people served
30
contaminants found
North Carolina rankings Lead in North Carolina PFAS in North Carolina

What was found in Kinston'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.

ContaminantLevel vs EPA limitSuppliersSource
Nitrate
1340 µg/L 13%
of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L
Main supplier: KINSTON, CITY OF · 27,475 people · 2019
1/5 SYR4
Lead
27.6 µg/L 184%
of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 15 µg/L
Main supplier: KINSTON, CITY OF · 27,475 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 958 µg/L — NORTH LENOIR WATER CORP · 15,494 people · 2018
2/5 SYR4
Fluoride
657 µg/L 16%
of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L
Main supplier: KINSTON, CITY OF · 27,475 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 782.5 µg/L — NEUSE REGIONAL WTR & SWR AUTH · 0 people · 2019
5/5 SYR4
Copper
175.59999999999994 µg/L 14%
of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L
Main supplier: KINSTON, CITY OF · 27,475 people · 2018
2/5 SYR4
Xylenes, Total
93.69999999999996 µg/L 0.9%
of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L
Main supplier: KINSTON, CITY OF · 27,475 people · 2019
2/5 SYR4
TTHM
38 µg/L 48%
of the EPA limit 80 µg/L
Main supplier: KINSTON, CITY OF · 27,475 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 39 µg/L — NORTH LENOIR WATER CORP · 15,494 people · 2019
3/5 SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
30.775 µg/L 51%
of the EPA limit 60 µg/L
Main supplier: KINSTON, CITY OF · 27,475 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 36.85499999999999 µg/L — NORTH LENOIR WATER CORP · 15,494 people · 2019
2/5 SYR4
Chloroform
25.525 µg/L
No EPA limit set
Main supplier: KINSTON, CITY OF · 27,475 people · 2019
3/5 SYR4
Ethylbenzene
25.52 µg/L 3.6%
of the EPA limit 700 µg/L
Main supplier: KINSTON, CITY OF · 27,475 people · 2019
1/5 SYR4
Dichloroacetic Acid
20.7 µg/L
No EPA limit set
Main supplier: KINSTON, CITY OF · 27,475 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 24.904999999999998 µg/L — NORTH LENOIR WATER CORP · 15,494 people · 2019
2/5 SYR4
Bromodichloromethane
11 µg/L
No EPA limit set
Main supplier: KINSTON, CITY OF · 27,475 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 11.035 µg/L — NORTH LENOIR WATER CORP · 15,494 people · 2019
2/5 SYR4
Trichloroacetic Acid
9.925 µg/L
No EPA limit set
Main supplier: KINSTON, CITY OF · 27,475 people · 2019
2/5 SYR4
Toluene
5.1 µg/L 0.5%
of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L
Main supplier: KINSTON, CITY OF · 27,475 people · 2019
1/5 SYR4
Monochloroacetic Acid
4.294999999999997 µg/L
No EPA limit set
Main supplier: KINSTON, CITY OF · 27,475 people · 2019
2/5 SYR4
Vinyl Chloride
4.249999999999999 µg/L 212%
of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 2 µg/L
Main supplier: KINSTON, CITY OF · 27,475 people · 2019
1/5 SYR4
Dibromochloromethane
3.3649999999999993 µg/L
No EPA limit set
Main supplier: KINSTON, CITY OF · 27,475 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 3.879999999999998 µg/L — NORTH LENOIR WATER CORP · 15,494 people · 2019
2/5 SYR4
Dibromoacetic Acid
2.25 µg/L
No EPA limit set
Main supplier: KINSTON, CITY OF · 27,475 people · 2019
2/5 SYR4
Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate
1.6 µg/L 27%
of the EPA limit 6 µg/L
Highest in the city: NORTH LENOIR WATER CORP · 15,494 people · 2019
1/5 SYR4
Combined Radium (-226 And -228)
1.3 pCi/L 26%
of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L
Highest in the city: JACKSON HEIGHTS MHP · 107 people · 2019
2/5 SYR4
Benzene
1 µg/L 20%
of the EPA limit 5 µg/L
Main supplier: KINSTON, CITY OF · 27,475 people · 2019
1/5 SYR4
Dichloromethane
0.8800 µg/L 18%
of the EPA limit 5 µg/L
Main supplier: KINSTON, CITY OF · 27,475 people · 2019
1/5 SYR4
Benzo(A)Pyrene
0.0400 µg/L 20%
of the EPA limit 0.2000 µg/L
Highest in the city: NORTH LENOIR WATER CORP · 15,494 people · 2019
1/5 SYR4
PFOS
0.0085 µg/L
No EPA limit set
Main supplier: KINSTON, CITY OF · 27,475 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 0.0101 µg/L — NORTH LENOIR WATER CORP · 15,494 people · 2024
2/5 UCMR-5
Pfba
0.0068 µg/L
No EPA limit set
Main supplier: KINSTON, CITY OF · 27,475 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 0.0077 µg/L — NORTH LENOIR WATER CORP · 15,494 people · 2024
2/5 UCMR-5
Pfpea
0.0043 µg/L
No EPA limit set
Main supplier: KINSTON, CITY OF · 27,475 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 0.0072 µg/L — NORTH LENOIR WATER CORP · 15,494 people · 2024
2/5 UCMR-5
Lead
0.0 mg/L 0%
of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L
Main supplier: KINSTON, CITY OF · 27,475 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 0.0070 mg/L — GREEN ACRES MHP · 229 people · 2025
4/5 LCR
Pfhxa
0.0036 µg/L
No EPA limit set
Main supplier: KINSTON, CITY OF · 27,475 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 0.0068 µg/L — NORTH LENOIR WATER CORP · 15,494 people · 2024
2/5 UCMR-5
PFHXS
0.0034 µg/L
No EPA limit set
Main supplier: KINSTON, CITY OF · 27,475 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 0.0068 µg/L — NORTH LENOIR WATER CORP · 15,494 people · 2024
2/5 UCMR-5
PFOA
0.0048 µg/L
No EPA limit set
Main supplier: KINSTON, CITY OF · 27,475 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 0.0060 µg/L — NORTH LENOIR WATER CORP · 15,494 people · 2024
2/5 UCMR-5
PFBS
0.0038 µg/L
No EPA limit set
Main supplier: KINSTON, CITY OF · 27,475 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 0.0048 µg/L — NORTH LENOIR WATER CORP · 15,494 people · 2024
2/5 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 Kinston

SupplierPopulation served
KINSTON, CITY OF 27,475
NORTH LENOIR WATER CORP 15,494
GREEN ACRES MHP 229
JACKSON HEIGHTS MHP 107
NEUSE REGIONAL WTR & SWR AUTH 0

Frequently asked questions about Kinston tap water

Is Kinston tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 30 contaminants in the water serving Kinston. 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 Kinston?

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

What contaminants are in Kinston's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Kinston include Nitrate, Lead, Fluoride, Copper, Xylenes, Total. 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.