Drinking water quality · 2024
· Verified
What's in Charlotte, NC tap water
20 contaminants were measured in the Charlotte, NC water system's 2024 annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit.
- Reporting year
- 2024
- Contaminants measured
- 20
- Over federal limit
- 0
- Approaching the limit
- 1
- Service area
- NC
PFAS — EPA UCMR5 (2023–2025)
2 PFAS compounds detected in Charlotte, NC
The EPA finalized the first-ever federal drinking-water limits for six PFAS compounds in April 2024. These numbers come straight from EPA's UCMR5 lab dataset — every U.S. system serving more than 3,300 people tested every PFAS sample at an entry point to its distribution system. PFAS not listed below were either tested and not detected, or not yet sampled.
PFPeA
● Detected (no federal limit)PFBA
● Detected (no federal limit)Where your water comes from · EPA SDWIS
Charlotte, NC's drinking water comes from surface water, drawn from 2 sources.
Source
- LAKE NORMAN
- MT ISLAND LAKE/CAT RIVER
Treatment
- TREATMENT_PLT_VEST PLANT
- TREATMENT_PLT_FRANKLIN PLANT
- TREATMENT_PLT_LEE S DUKE
Distribution
Compliance history
Federal Safe Drinking Water Act violation & enforcement records (EPA SDWIS). A violation is a regulatory determination by the state or EPA — separate from the measured levels above.
- Treatment technique violationHealth-based2 violations on record · most recent Dec 1993resolved
- Maximum contaminant level exceededHealth-based1 violation on record · most recent Jun 2005resolved
Source: EPA SDWIS / ECHO. View the full federal record on EPA ECHO ↗
Disinfection byproducts
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| TTHMTotal trihalomethanes — a group of four chemicals (including chloroform) formed when chlorine reacts with natural organic matter. | 64 ug/LRunning annual avgSystem-wide | None set | Approaching the limit |
| HAA5Haloacetic acids — a group of five disinfection byproducts formed when disinfectants react with organic matter. | 21.7 ug/LRunning annual avgSystem-wide | None set | Within the limit |
| Bromodichloroacetic acidA brominated haloacetic acid disinfection byproduct. | 1.7 ug/LMaximumSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| PerchlorateA chemical used in rocket fuel and fireworks that can also form during disinfection. | 0.07 ug/LMaximumSystem-wide | 25 ug/LNL | Detected — no federal limit |
Disinfectants
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChlorineA disinfectant added to drinking water to kill bacteria and viruses. | 1.06 mg/LRunning annual avgSystem-wide | 4 mg/LMRDLG | Within the limit |
Inorganic chemicals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| FluorideA mineral often added to drinking water to help prevent tooth decay. | 0.68 mg/LAverageSystem-wide | 4 mg/LMCLG | Within the limit |
| Bromochloroacetic acidA mixed-halogen haloacetic acid disinfection byproduct. | 3.8 ug/LMaximumSystem-wide | None set | Within the limit |
VOCs & pesticides
Metals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| CopperA metal that enters water from corroding household plumbing. | Not detected mg/L90th percentileAt the tap | 1.3 mg/LMCLG | None detected |
| LeadA toxic metal that leaches into water from old service lines, solder, and plumbing fixtures. | Not detected ug/L90th percentileAt the tap | 0 ug/LMCLG | Within the limit |
| BoronA naturally occurring element from rock and soil. | 31 ug/LMaximumSystem-wide | 7 ug/LNL | Detected — no federal limit |
| Chromium, HexavalentHexavalent chromium ('chromium-6') — the more toxic form of chromium. | 0.1 ug/LMaximumSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| ManganeseA naturally occurring metal from soil and rock. | 7.7 ug/LMaximumSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| Strontium | 42 ug/LMaximumSystem-wide | 20 ug/LNL | Detected — no federal limit |
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perfluorohexanoic acidPerfluorohexanoic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.' | 2.2 ng/LMaximumSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Physical & aggregate
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| TOCTotal organic carbon — a measure of organic material dissolved in the water. | 0.88 mg/LRunning annual avgSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| TurbidityA measure of cloudiness from suspended particles in the water. | 0.398Reported levelSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
People also ask about Charlotte, NC's water
+Is Charlotte, NC tap water safe to drink in 2024?
Every one of the 20 contaminants measured in Charlotte, NC's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report is below its federal limit. "Safe" under the EPA's drinking-water standards is health-based, not aesthetic — but by those standards, no measured contaminant in this report exceeds its enforceable threshold. Individual health concerns (e.g. immunocompromised, infant, pregnancy) may warrant additional filtering regardless of compliance.
+What contaminants are in Charlotte, NC tap water?
20 contaminants were measured in Charlotte, NC's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report, spanning metals, disinfection byproducts, and pfas ("forever chemicals"). 7 have an enforceable federal limit; the rest are detected but unregulated. Every measured value, in the utility's own units, is on this page.
+Are any contaminants in Charlotte, NC tap water approaching the federal limit?
One contaminant is between 80% and 100% of the federal limit in this report: TTHM. Approaching means measured but not in violation — a margin that can close quickly if conditions change.
+Where does the data on this page come from?
Every value is transcribed from Charlotte, NC's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report — the annual drinking-water report every U.S. public water utility is required by federal law to publish. The original source document is archived and viewable on this site. A water-quality report covers an entire service area, not a single address.
+How often is Charlotte, NC's water quality data updated?
Each U.S. public water utility publishes one Consumer Confidence Report per year, covering the prior calendar year's measurements. This page reflects the 2024 report; a new report will replace it once the utility publishes its next annual update.