PFAS ("forever chemicals") · 2025
PFOA in Cary, NC tap water
Cary, NC's 2025 PFOA measurement is below the federal limit of 4 (MCL).
The measurement
| Statistic | Value | Federal limit |
|---|---|---|
Average Detection | 1.3 | 4 MCL |
Range System-wide | 0–3.9 ng/L | 4 ng/L MCL |
Verbatim from Cary, NC's 2025 Consumer Confidence Report — source document ↗
About PFOA
Perfluorooctanoic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical' once used in nonstick and stain-resistant products.
Linked to cancer, liver damage, and immune effects; the EPA set an enforceable limit of 4 parts per trillion.
How Cary, NC compares
5 of the 145 systems measuring PFOA on The Water Map have it at or above the federal limit:
Nearby systems also reporting PFOA:
People also ask
+Is there PFOA in Cary, NC tap water?
Yes — Cary, NC's 2025 Consumer Confidence Report lists PFOA at 1.3. Cary, NC's 2025 PFOA measurement is below the federal limit of 4 (MCL).
+What's the federal limit for PFOA in drinking water?
The federal MCL for PFOA is 4 . The EPA enforces this against the regulated reporting statistic (running annual average or 90th percentile), not a single-sample spike.
+What is PFOA?
Perfluorooctanoic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical' once used in nonstick and stain-resistant products. Linked to cancer, liver damage, and immune effects; the EPA set an enforceable limit of 4 parts per trillion.
+Which other U.S. cities have PFOA over the federal limit?
5 of the 145 systems on The Water Map measuring PFOA report it at or above the federal limit. Examples include Charleston, SC, North Charleston, SC, Saint Paul, MN.
+Where does this PFOA measurement come from?
This page reproduces the PFOA entry from the 2025 Consumer Confidence Report published by the Cary, NC water utility — the annual drinking-water report every U.S. utility is required by federal law to publish. The original source document is archived at /water/nc/cary/2025/source.