Cary, NC Water Quality Report

Is Cary tap water safe? See PFAS and lead contamination levels for Cary, North Carolina. Compare to EPA limits and get filter recommendations.

Quick Answers

Is Cary, NC tap water safe to drink? Cary, NC water has high PFAS contamination. EPA UCMR5 testing detected a peak level of 110 ppt, significantly above the EPA's 4 ppt enforceable limit. A reverse osmosis or certified PFAS filter is strongly recommended.

What contaminants are in Cary, NC water? Top PFAS compounds detected in Cary water: PFHxS (110 ppt), PFOS (41 ppt), PFOA (21 ppt). See the full table for all monitored contaminants and comparison to EPA limits.

What filter should I use in Cary, NC? For Cary, NC households, reverse osmosis removes 90%+ of PFAS, lead, and arsenic. NSF-53 certified pitcher and faucet filters (ZeroWater, Clearly Filtered, LifeStraw) work for smaller households. Skip standard Brita filters for PFAS removal.

Cary, NC Water Quality Summary

EPA testing has detected PFAS "forever chemicals" in Cary, NC drinking water. Recent monitoring found a peak level of 110 ppt across 7 water systems, representing an average of 0.37 ppt across 10 detected compounds.

Contamination Level: HIGH – High contamination – multiple PFAS compounds detected at levels significantly above EPA safety thresholds.

Top Detected Compounds

  • PFHxS: 110 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
  • PFOS: 41 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
  • PFOA: 21 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
  • PFBS: 0.06 ppt
  • PFHxA: 0.06 ppt

Lead in Cary, NC Water

EPA Lead and Copper Rule testing has recorded 138 lead samples for Cary water systems, with a 90th-percentile high of 0.0173 mg/L (above the EPA 0.015 mg/L action level). There is no safe level of lead for children; if your home was built before 1986, a certified NSF/ANSI 53 lead-removal filter is recommended.

EPA Violations in Cary, NC

Cary public water systems have 15 health-based EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record, including Haloacetic Acids, Nitrite. Health-based violations mean a contaminant exceeded its federal limit or required treatment was not applied.

About the Data

Source: EPA UCMR5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5), the 2023-2025 national testing program spanning 66,000+ public water systems – the broadest drinking water survey ever run in the US. Cary, NC serves a population of roughly 174,721.

ZIP Codes Served

27511, 27513, 27518, 27519

What Cary, North Carolina Residents Should Do

  1. Enter your exact ZIP code at knowyourexposure.com for address-level data
  2. Request the latest Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) from your North Carolina utility – it is free and updated annually
  3. Choose a filter certified for PFAS: NSF/ANSI 58 reverse osmosis (94-99% removal) or an NSF-53 pitcher
  4. High-exposure households (pregnancy, infants, immunocompromised) should also consider a PFAS home test kit