PFAS Contamination

PFAS in North Carolina Drinking Water

Ranked by number of PFAS compounds detected · Data from EPA SDWIS & UCMR

213

Cities Tested

Exceeds Limit

43%

% Exceeds Limit

2.6 compounds

State Avg

▲ 22% vs national

vs National

362

Health Violations

Analysis

PFAS in North Carolina: what the data shows

North Carolina has 213 cities with PFAS monitoring data from the EPA's UCMR 5 program. PFAS ("forever chemicals") were detected in 135 of those cities (63%), with many cities exceeding the EPA's 2024 maximum contaminant levels of 4 ppt. The state average is worse than the national average. 91 cities exceed the EPA MCL for at least one PFAS compound. PFAS are linked to cancer, immune system disruption, and developmental issues. The 2024 EPA rule requires water systems exceeding the MCL to notify customers and reduce levels by 2029. PFAS data comes from the EPA's Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5 (UCMR 5), which required large water systems to test for 29 PFAS compounds between 2023–2025. Not all systems have completed testing — cities without data may still have PFAS present.

Comparison

Cities exceeding EPA MCL (4 ppt each)

North Carolina

43%

91 of 213 cities

→ ▲ 22% above national rate (worse)

National avg

21%

1662 of 7853 cities

City Map

PFAS data across North Carolina

Each dot is a city, colored by overall water quality grade. PFAS-tested cities are shown; those exceeding the 4 ppt EPA MCL appear in red. Size reflects population served.

Worst Offenders

Top 10 cities by pfas level in North Carolina

Highest PFAS levels (compounds)

All Cities

All North Carolina cities ranked by pfas level

#	City	Level	Exceeds?	Violations	Grade
1	Maxton	11 compounds	Yes	12	C
2	Raleigh	10 compounds	Yes	241	F
3	Greensboro	9 compounds	Yes	29	F
4	Fayetteville	9 compounds	Yes	392	F
5	Leland	9 compounds	Yes	11	C
6	Statesville	9 compounds	Yes	37	F
7	Raeford	9 compounds	Yes	16	F
8	Sanford	9 compounds	Yes	31	F
9	Fuquay-Varina	9 compounds	Yes	34	F
10	Oak Island	9 compounds	Yes	1	B
11	Ocean Isle Beach	9 compounds	Yes	1	B+
12	Selma	9 compounds	Yes	7	C-
13	Lillington	8 compounds	Yes	4	B-
14	Goldsboro	8 compounds	Yes	11	F
15	Wilson Mills	8 compounds	Yes	3	B-
16	Holly Springs	8 compounds	Yes	8	C-
17	Clayton	8 compounds	Yes	50	D
18	Smithfield	8 compounds	Yes	9	C+
19	Rockingham	8 compounds	Yes	15	C
20	Pinehurst	8 compounds	Yes	5	C-
21	Asheboro	8 compounds	Yes	8	F
22	Nashville	8 compounds	Yes	36	F
23	Archdale	8 compounds	Yes	30	D+
24	Carthage	8 compounds	Yes	68	D+
25	Spring Lake	8 compounds	Yes	25	D+
26	Erwin	8 compounds	Yes	0	B+
27	Angier	8 compounds	Yes	4	B-
28	Eastover	8 compounds	Yes	0	B+
29	Jamestown	8 compounds	Yes	3	B+
30	Randleman	8 compounds	Yes	26	F
31	Cameron	8 compounds	Yes	1	D
32	Benson	8 compounds	Yes	2	B+
33	Charlotte	7 compounds	Yes	47	F
34	Greenville	7 compounds	Yes	7	C-
35	Burlington	7 compounds	Yes	33	F
36	Kinston	7 compounds	Yes	4	C-
37	Deep Run	7 compounds	Yes	0	B+
38	Bellarthur	7 compounds	Yes	3	B-
39	Ayden	7 compounds	Yes	0	A-
40	Holden Beach	7 compounds	Yes	0	A-
41	Bessemer City	7 compounds	Yes	17	D
42	Grifton	7 compounds	Yes	2	A-
43	Monroe	6 compounds	Yes	10	B-
44	High Point	6 compounds	Yes	2	B-
45	Apex	6 compounds	No	40	F
46	Mooresville	6 compounds	Yes	22	F
47	Aberdeen	6 compounds	Yes	54	F
48	Dallas	6 compounds	Yes	34	F
49	Seymour Johnson	6 compounds	Yes	4	A-
50	Mebane	5 compounds	Yes	10	B+
51	Burgaw	5 compounds	No	21	F
52	Harrisburg	5 compounds	Yes	28	F
53	Winterville	5 compounds	Yes	1	B-
54	Efland	5 compounds	Yes	10	F
55	Stokes	5 compounds	Yes	4	C+
56	Durham	4 compounds	Yes	94	F
57	Cary	4 compounds	No	9	F
58	Wilmington	4 compounds	No	22	F
59	Lumberton	4 compounds	Yes	2	B
60	Lincolnton	4 compounds	Yes	0	D+
61	Lilesville	4 compounds	Yes	16	D
62	Denton	4 compounds	Yes	22	C-
63	Siler City	4 compounds	Yes	29	B
64	Wadesboro	4 compounds	Yes	24	B-
65	Wingate	4 compounds	Yes	22	B-
66	Denver	3 compounds	Yes	10	C-
67	Albemarle	3 compounds	Yes	46	C-
68	Elon	3 compounds	Yes	7	D+
69	Pittsboro	3 compounds	No	110	F
70	China Grove	3 compounds	Yes	11	F
71	Hamlet	3 compounds	Yes	20	F
72	Locust	3 compounds	Yes	24	B
73	Troy	3 compounds	Yes	16	D+
74	Richfield	3 compounds	Yes	3	B+
75	Concord	2 compounds	Yes	37	F
76	Carrboro	2 compounds	Yes	0	A
77	Rocky Mount	2 compounds	Yes	17	C
78	Tarboro	2 compounds	Yes	49	F
79	Belmont	2 compounds	No	6	D+
80	Butner	2 compounds	Yes	25	B
81	Mt Gilead	2 compounds	Yes	18	F
82	Kings Mountain	2 compounds	No	5	B
83	Williamston	2 compounds	Yes	4	C-
84	White Lake	2 compounds	Yes	1	B
85	Gibsonville	2 compounds	Yes	12	F
86	Oxford	2 compounds	Yes	7	B-
87	Farmville	2 compounds	No	0	A-
88	Norwood	2 compounds	Yes	32	D
89	Wrightsville Beach	2 compounds	No	6	B
90	Littleton	2 compounds	Yes	17	F
91	Old Fort	2 compounds	No	2	C
92	Jacksonville	1 compounds	No	22	F
93	Camp Lejeune	1 compounds	No	10	A-
94	Wilson	1 compounds	No	7	C+
95	Kannapolis	1 compounds	Yes	16	C-
96	Elizabeth City	1 compounds	No	2	A-
97	Mocksville	1 compounds	No	19	C
98	Roanoke Rapids	1 compounds	Yes	17	B
99	Boone	1 compounds	No	33	F
100	Washington	1 compounds	No	2	B+
101	Thomasville	1 compounds	Yes	0	A-
102	Newport	1 compounds	Yes	31	F
103	Newton	1 compounds	No	15	F
104	Elizabethtown	1 compounds	No	1	B+
105	Bayboro	1 compounds	No	14	B-
106	Henderson	1 compounds	Yes	25	F
107	Rutherfordton	1 compounds	No	7	B-
108	Edenton	1 compounds	No	31	D+
109	Snow Hill	1 compounds	Yes	2	C+
110	Brevard	1 compounds	No	26	F
111	Morehead City	1 compounds	No	17	C
112	Reidsville	1 compounds	No	36	F
113	Whiteville	1 compounds	No	2	C
114	Windsor	1 compounds	No	7	A-
115	Hertford	1 compounds	No	7	D+
116	Miller Creek	1 compounds	No	1	B+
117	Warrenton	1 compounds	Yes	5	B
118	Bridgeton	1 compounds	No	2	B+
119	Gatesville	1 compounds	No	0	B+
120	Roxboro	1 compounds	Yes	9	A-
121	Corolla	1 compounds	No	7	B
122	Beaufort	1 compounds	No	34	F
123	Edward	1 compounds	No	1	A
124	Trenton	1 compounds	No	0	B+
125	Hays	1 compounds	No	1	B+
126	Roper	1 compounds	No	25	C+
127	Carolina Beach	1 compounds	No	5	D
128	Atlantic Beach	1 compounds	No	5	B+
129	Ahoskie	1 compounds	No	1	A-
130	Maiden	1 compounds	Yes	3	B
131	Kure Beach	1 compounds	No	4	B+
132	Emerald Isle	1 compounds	No	7	B
133	Yadkinville	1 compounds	No	2	B-
134	Lake Gaston	1 compounds	Yes	13	B-
135	Plymouth	1 compounds	No	8	B+
136	Clemmons	0 compounds	No	0	A-
137	Lexington	0 compounds	No	14	B-
138	Asheville	0 compounds	No	12	F
139	Gastonia	0 compounds	No	102	F
140	Hendersonville	0 compounds	No	36	F
141	Hickory	0 compounds	No	11	F
142	New Bern	0 compounds	No	4	B+
143	Lawndale	0 compounds	No	1	B-
144	Salisbury	0 compounds	No	27	F
145	Granite Falls	0 compounds	No	4	B+
146	Morganton	0 compounds	No	2	B+
147	Kill Devil Hill	0 compounds	No	1	A-
148	Eden	0 compounds	No	10	C
149	Pinebluff	0 compounds	No	32	D+
150	Waynesville	0 compounds	No	5	C+
151	Maple	0 compounds	No	4	B+
152	Hudson	0 compounds	No	2	A-
153	Shelby	0 compounds	No	2	A
154	King	0 compounds	No	12	B+
155	Laurinburg	0 compounds	No	0	C
156	Clinton	0 compounds	No	3	B+
157	Forest City	0 compounds	No	1	B-
158	Hiddenite	0 compounds	No	3	A-
159	Weaverville	0 compounds	No	35	F
160	Kenansville	0 compounds	No	2	B
161	Mt Holly	0 compounds	No	1	A-
162	Cherokee	0 compounds	No	6	B-
163	Cherry Point	0 compounds	No	3	A-
164	Conover	0 compounds	No	6	F
165	Cullowhee	0 compounds	No	13	D
166	Taylorsville	0 compounds	No	7	B
167	N Wilkesboro	0 compounds	No	4	B+
168	Havelock	0 compounds	No	20	B+
169	Hillsborough	0 compounds	No	9	C-
170	Valdese	0 compounds	No	0	B+
171	Marion	0 compounds	No	20	F
172	Franklin	0 compounds	No	14	F
173	Mount Airy	0 compounds	No	0	B
174	Maggie Valley	0 compounds	No	2	B-
175	Troutman	0 compounds	No	3	B-
176	Surf City	0 compounds	No	22	C+
177	Camden	0 compounds	No	1	A
178	Highlands	0 compounds	No	25	F
179	Winton	0 compounds	No	4	A-
180	Canton	0 compounds	No	8	C+
181	Hildebran	0 compounds	No	1	A-
182	Stanley	0 compounds	No	6	F
183	Cherryville	0 compounds	No	7	C
184	Jackson	0 compounds	No	4	D
185	Spruce Pine	0 compounds	No	3	B-
186	Glen Alpine	0 compounds	No	0	A-
187	Wallace	0 compounds	No	4	F
188	Sherrills Ford	0 compounds	No	3	C+
189	Tryon	0 compounds	No	3	B
190	Murphy	0 compounds	No	6	D
191	Buxton	0 compounds	No	2	A-
192	Swanquarter	0 compounds	No	1	A+
193	Longview	0 compounds	No	0	A-
194	Boiling Springs	0 compounds	No	2	A-
195	Burnsville	0 compounds	No	5	B
196	Chinquapin	0 compounds	No	0	A
197	Bryson City	0 compounds	No	13	D+
198	Ranlo	0 compounds	No	5	B
199	Red Springs	0 compounds	No	1	B+
200	Mount Olive	0 compounds	No	1	B+
201	Elkin	0 compounds	No	1	B+
202	Whispering Pines	0 compounds	No	5	B+
203	Lowell	0 compounds	No	2	B
204	Murfreesboro	0 compounds	No	4	B+
205	Wilkesboro	0 compounds	No	0	A+
206	Stokesdale	0 compounds	No	14	D
207	Moravian Falls	0 compounds	No	2	B+
208	Swepsonville	0 compounds	No	10	A-
209	Blowing Rock	0 compounds	No	7	C
210	Faison	0 compounds	No	1	B-
211	Fremont	0 compounds	No	3	B
212	Clarkton	0 compounds	No	0	A-
213	Bolton	0 compounds	No	1	B

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about pfas in North Carolina

Does North Carolina tap water contain PFAS?

PFAS were detected in 135 of 213 North Carolina cities tested under EPA's UCMR 5 program. 91 cities exceed the 2024 EPA MCL of 4 ppt for individual PFAS compounds.

How can I remove PFAS from my drinking water in North Carolina?

Reverse osmosis (RO) systems are the most effective at removing PFAS, typically removing 90%+ of compounds. High-quality activated carbon block filters (NSF 58-certified for RO, or NSF 53 for solid carbon) also provide significant reduction. Standard pitcher filters vary widely in PFAS removal.

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