Is Marion, NC Tap Water Safe? Quality & Contaminants

What was found in Marion'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	6240 µg/L 62% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Highest in the city: MARION MOOSE LODGE · 320 people · 2019	5/8	SYR4
Copper	53 µg/L 4.1% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: MARION, CITY OF · 9,362 people · 2019 Highest in the city: 1618 µg/L — MARION MOOSE LODGE · 320 people · 2019	5/8	SYR4
Fluoride	929.2 µg/L 23% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: MARION, CITY OF · 9,362 people · 2019	6/8	SYR4
TTHM	69.39999999999995 µg/L 87% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: MARION, CITY OF · 9,362 people · 2019 Highest in the city: 71.45 µg/L — MCDOWELL CO--NEBO · 902 people · 2019	4/8	SYR4
Chloroform	66.76999999999997 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MARION, CITY OF · 9,362 people · 2019	4/8	SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)	46.199999999999996 µg/L 77% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: MARION, CITY OF · 9,362 people · 2019 Highest in the city: 54.60999999999999 µg/L — MCDOWELL CO--NEBO · 902 people · 2019	5/8	SYR4
Trichloroacetic Acid	28.22 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MARION, CITY OF · 9,362 people · 2019 Highest in the city: 34.879999999999995 µg/L — MCDOWELL CO--NEBO · 902 people · 2019	3/8	SYR4
Lead	23.999999999999996 µg/L 160% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 15 µg/L Highest in the city: LAKE JAMES LODGE ASSISTED LIVI · 80 people · 2019	2/8	SYR4
Dichloroacetic Acid	20 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MARION, CITY OF · 9,362 people · 2019 Highest in the city: 20.75999999999999 µg/L — MCDOWELL CO--NEBO · 902 people · 2019	4/8	SYR4
Arsenic	10 µg/L 100% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Highest in the city: LAKE JAMES LODGE ASSISTED LIVI · 80 people · 2019	1/8	SYR4
Bromodichloromethane	6.079999999999999 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MARION, CITY OF · 9,362 people · 2019 Highest in the city: 6.633599999999997 µg/L — MCDOWELL CO--NEBO · 902 people · 2019	3/8	SYR4
Gross Beta Particle Activity	4.9 pCi/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: WOODLAWN HEIGHTS WATER SYSTEM · 315 people · 2014	1/8	SYR4
Monobromoacetic Acid	1.95 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: MCDOWELL CO--NEBO · 902 people · 2019	1/8	SYR4
Dibromoacetic Acid	1.9 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: MCDOWELL CO--NEBO · 902 people · 2019	1/8	SYR4
Combined Radium (-226 And -228)	1.2 pCi/L 24% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Highest in the city: MARION MOOSE LODGE-MOUNTAIN · 160 people · 2016	3/8	SYR4
Bromoform	1 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: MARION, CITY OF · 9,362 people · 2019	1/8	SYR4
Lead	0.0 mg/L 0% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: MARION, CITY OF · 9,362 people · 2025	8/8	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 Marion

Supplier	Population served
MARION, CITY OF	9,362
MCDOWELL CO--NEBO	902
RIVERSIDE MHP	399
MARION MOOSE LODGE	320
WOODLAWN HEIGHTS WATER SYSTEM	315
MARION MOOSE LODGE-MOUNTAIN	160
LINVILLE FALLS CLUB	127
LAKE JAMES LODGE ASSISTED LIVI	80

Frequently asked questions about Marion tap water

Is Marion tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 17 contaminants in the water serving Marion. 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 Marion?

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

What contaminants are in Marion's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Marion include Nitrate, Copper, Fluoride, TTHM, Chloroform. 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.