What was found in Raleigh'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 | 7900 µg/L 79% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L | 50/95 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 7900 µg/L 79% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L | 52/95 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 5850 µg/L 450% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 1300 µg/L | 84/95 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 3940 µg/L 197% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 2000 µg/L | 9/95 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 2300 µg/L 57% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L | 64/95 | SYR4 |
| Nitrite | 1300 µg/L 130% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 1000 µg/L | 5/95 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 353 µg/L 2353% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 15 µg/L | 54/95 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 290.55 µg/L 969% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 30 µg/L | 35/95 | SYR4 |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | 97.8 pCi/L No EPA limit set | 56/95 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 83.1 µg/L No EPA limit set | 28/95 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 79.9 µg/L 100% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L | 55/95 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 64.7 µg/L No EPA limit set | 39/95 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 63 µg/L 105% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 60 µg/L | 18/95 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 39 µg/L No EPA limit set | 14/95 | SYR4 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U | 36.6 pCi/L 244% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 15 pCi/L | 5/95 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 33.7 µg/L No EPA limit set | 20/95 | SYR4 |
| Toluene | 24 µg/L 2.4% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L | 5/95 | SYR4 |
| Lithium | 16.3 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/95 | UCMR-5 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 16.1 µg/L No EPA limit set | 24/95 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 13.4 µg/L 27% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L | 2/95 | SYR4 |
| Xylenes, Total | 12 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L | 10/95 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 10.69 pCi/L 214% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 5 pCi/L | 48/95 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 8.2 µg/L No EPA limit set | 3/95 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 7.4 µg/L No EPA limit set | 9/95 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 6.46 µg/L 65% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L | 3/95 | SYR4 |
| Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate | 6 µg/L 100% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L | 3/95 | SYR4 |
| Dalapon | 5.8 µg/L 2.9% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L | 5/95 | SYR4 |
| Antimony, Total | 5.6 µg/L 93% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L | 3/95 | SYR4 |
| Toxaphene | 4.27 µg/L 142% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 3 µg/L | 1/95 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 3.6 µg/L No EPA limit set | 9/95 | SYR4 |
| Dichloromethane | 3.5 µg/L 70% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L | 1/95 | SYR4 |
| Benzene | 3.2 µg/L 64% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L | 1/95 | SYR4 |
| 1,2-Dichloropropane | 3 µg/L 60% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L | 4/95 | SYR4 |
| Bromate | 2 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L | 1/95 | SYR4 |
| Thallium, Total | 1.66 µg/L 83% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L | 2/95 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 1.53 µg/L No EPA limit set | 2/95 | SYR4 |
| Cadmium | 1.51 µg/L 30% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L | 1/95 | SYR4 |
| Chlordane | 1.06 µg/L 53% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L | 4/95 | SYR4 |
| Ethylbenzene | 0.9100 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 700 µg/L | 3/95 | SYR4 |
| 1,2-Dichloroethane | 0.7700 µg/L 15% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L | 2/95 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroethylene | 0.6000 µg/L 12% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L | 1/95 | SYR4 |
| Tetrachloroethylene | 0.5800 µg/L 12% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L | 1/95 | SYR4 |
| Simazine | 0.2600 µg/L 6.5% of the EPA limit 4 µg/L | 1/95 | SYR4 |
| Benzo(A)Pyrene | 0.2300 µg/L 115% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 0.2000 µg/L | 1/95 | SYR4 |
| Methoxychlor | 0.1750 µg/L 0.4% of the EPA limit 40 µg/L | 1/95 | SYR4 |
| PFHXS | 0.1526 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/95 | UCMR-5 |
| Heptachlor Epoxide | 0.1430 µg/L 71% of the EPA limit 0.2000 µg/L | 6/95 | SYR4 |
| Ethylene Dibromide | 0.1100 µg/L 220% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 0.0500 µg/L | 4/95 | SYR4 |
| Pfpea | 0.0591 µg/L No EPA limit set | 2/95 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfhxa | 0.0573 µg/L No EPA limit set | 2/95 | UCMR-5 |
| PFBS | 0.0396 µg/L No EPA limit set | 2/95 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfpes | 0.0364 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/95 | UCMR-5 |
| PFOS | 0.0213 µg/L No EPA limit set | 2/95 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfba | 0.0178 µg/L No EPA limit set | 2/95 | UCMR-5 |
| Endrin | 0.0170 µg/L 0.9% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L | 2/95 | SYR4 |
| Pfhpa | 0.0137 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/95 | UCMR-5 |
| PFOA | 0.0104 µg/L No EPA limit set | 1/95 | UCMR-5 |
| Lead | 0.0100 mg/L 67% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L | 95/95 | 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 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 Raleigh
The 50 largest of 95 suppliers serving Raleigh, by population served.
Frequently asked questions about Raleigh tap water
Is Raleigh tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 58 contaminants in the water serving Raleigh. 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 Raleigh?
95 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Raleigh, North Carolina to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Raleigh's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Raleigh include Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Copper, Barium, Fluoride. 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.