Water Quality in Raleigh, NC: 401 Violations Recorded for Mapped Water Systems
30 water systems · 17 directly mapped ZIP records
Available EPA records report 401 violations across 17 directly mapped ZIP records with known counts for Raleigh. This is compliance evidence, not a property-level tap-water verdict.
Data: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
Water Quality by ZIP Code in Raleigh
This table shows typed EPA water evidence only. Missing violation counts are displayed as N/A, not zero.
| ZIP Code | Violations | Health | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27603 | 279 | 18 | View report → |
| 27610 | 46 | 6 | View report → |
| 27606 | 43 | 10 | View report → |
| 27614 | 26 | 1 | View report → |
| 27613 | 16 | 0 | View report → |
| 27615 | 14 | 0 | View report → |
| 27616 | 14 | 1 | View report → |
| 27607 | 4 | 1 | View report → |
| 27604 | 2 | 0 | View report → |
| 27612 | 2 | 0 | View report → |
| 27617 | 2 | 0 | View report → |
| 27601 | 0 | 0 | View report → |
| 27605 | 0 | 0 | View report → |
| 27608 | 0 | 0 | View report → |
| 27609 | 0 | 0 | View report → |
Water Quality Overview
Raleigh, North Carolina has directly mapped EPA water-system data for 17 ZIP codes. This page reports typed compliance facts and does not relabel the multi-source Home Safety Score as a drinking-water grade.
The available EPA records report 401 violations, including 26 health-based violations across 17 directly mapped ZIP records with reported counts.
Lead Levels
The average of the reported 90th-percentile lead results across the ZIP codes of Raleigh is reported as 0 mg/L (a reported 0 is not proof of no lead; check the source record for its reporting limit); the EPA action level of 0.015 mg/L applies to a water system's own 90th-percentile result and is not a safety threshold (EPA's health goal for lead is zero). No exceedances appear among the 17 ZIP records with known lead status.
Water Systems Serving Raleigh
Raleigh is served by 30 community water systems regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act. About 560,455 people live in the area (44 ZIP codes, Census); this is not the systems' reported service population.
Each water system is identified by a Public Water System ID (PWSID) and is required to:
- Test for over 90 regulated contaminants on a regular schedule
- Report results to the EPA and state regulators
- Issue an annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) to all customers
- Take corrective action when violations occur
EPA records list enforcement actions against water systems serving Raleigh. Enforcement actions range from informal compliance assistance to formal orders and penalties.
How to Check Your Water in Raleigh
Enter your ZIP code on ZipCheckup to see your specific water system data, including contaminant levels and violation history
Request your CCR - your water utility must provide an annual Consumer Confidence Report with detailed test results for all monitored contaminants
Get a home test - certified kits cost $20–$50 and test for lead, bacteria, and common contaminants. Professional lab tests ($150–$400) cover a broader panel
Consider filtration - NSF-certified filters can remove specific contaminants. Reverse osmosis removes the broadest range; activated carbon is effective for chlorine and many organics
Check for advisories - monitor your local utility website and local news for boil water advisories or system alerts
Contaminants Detected in Raleigh Water Systems
The following contaminants have been detected or caused violations across Raleigh's water systems:
| Contaminant | Category | MCL | Violations | ZIPs Affected | Health-Based |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Confidence Rule | Reporting | N/A | 92 | 11 | No |
| Gross Alpha (excl. radon and uranium) | Radionuclides | 15 pCi/L | 34 | 6 | Yes |
| Nitrate | Inorganic | 10 mg/L | 16 | 8 | No |
| Public Notice Rule | Reporting | N/A | 15 | 6 | No |
| Combined Uranium | Radionuclides | 0.03 mg/L | 13 | 5 | Yes |
| Chlorine | Disinfectant | 4 mg/L (MRDL) | 13 | 4 | No |
| Combined Radium (-226 and -228) | Radionuclides | 5 pCi/L | 11 | 6 | Yes |
| Lead and Copper Rule Revisions | Treatment Technique | N/A | 10 | 4 | Yes |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 0.06 mg/L | 9 | 4 | No |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 0.08 mg/L | 9 | 4 | No |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Technique | N/A | 7 | 4 | No |
| Radium-226 | Radionuclides | 5 pCi/L | 6 | 4 | No |
| Radium-228 | Radionuclides | 5 pCi/L | 6 | 4 | No |
| Atrazine | Organic | 0.003 mg/L | 4 | 1 | No |
| 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene | Organic | N/A | 4 | 1 | No |
The standard column shows the EPA Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) except for lead and copper, whose value is an action level that triggers corrective steps and is not an MCL. Health-based violations are MCL, MRDL and treatment-technique violations.
Violation Trend Over Time
Year-by-year health-based EPA violations recorded for water systems serving Raleigh (this history covers health-based records only):
| Year | Health-based violations |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 1 |
Health-based violations have decreased from 2 in 2023 to 1 in 2024, indicating improving compliance.
EPA Enforcement History
The EPA and state regulators have taken enforcement actions against water systems serving Raleigh. Recent actions:
| Date | Action Type |
|---|---|
| 2026-06-25 | State Filed Judgment |
| 2026-06-25 | State Filed Suit |
| 2026-06-25 | State Informal Enforcement |
| 2026-04-17 | State Filed Judgment |
| 2026-04-17 | State Filed Suit |
| 2026-04-17 | State Informal Enforcement |
| 2026-03-23 | State Order Extension |
| 2026-03-17 | State Order Extension |
| 2026-02-27 | State Filed Judgment |
| 2026-02-27 | State Filed Suit |
Enforcement actions range from informal compliance assistance to formal orders and penalties. The most recent action was on 2026-06-25.
Raleigh vs. Nearby North Carolina Cities
How Raleigh's water quality compares to similar cities in North Carolina:
| City | Direct EPA ZIPs | Violations | Systems | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh | 17 | 401 | 30 | 560,455 |
| Greensboro | 11 | 31 | 12 | 332,896 |
| Durham | 8 | 152 | 18 | 313,633 |
| Winston Salem | 8 | 8 | 3 | 275,105 |
Water Quality by ZIP Code in Raleigh
EPA coverage and recorded violations can differ across Raleigh's ZIP codes. Missing counts are shown as unavailable, not zero:
| ZIP Code | Violations | Health-Based |
|---|---|---|
| 27603 | 279 | 18 |
| 27610 | 46 | 6 |
| 27606 | 43 | 10 |
| 27614 | 26 | 1 |
| 27613 | 16 | 0 |
| 27615 | 14 | 0 |
| 27616 | 14 | 1 |
| 27607 | 4 | 1 |
| 27604 | 2 | 0 |
| 27612 | 2 | 0 |
| 27617 | 2 | 0 |
| 27601 | 0 | 0 |
| 27605 | 0 | 0 |
| 27608 | 0 | 0 |
| 27609 | 0 | 0 |
Common Questions About Raleigh Water
These are the most common questions residents search for about water quality in Raleigh, North Carolina:
Is Raleigh water hard or soft? Water hardness varies by source. Raleigh's 30 water systems use multiple sources. Check your ZIP code report for specific hardness data.
Can I drink Raleigh tap water? City-level EPA records cannot determine safety at a specific tap. The measured subset contains 26 health-based violations; check the affected utility record and consider certified testing.
What is the best water filter for Raleigh? A NSF/ANSI 53-certified filter for lead removal is a good general choice. See our Water Filter Matcher for personalized recommendations.
Raleigh vs. North Carolina Average
Understanding how Raleigh compares to the broader North Carolina average helps contextualize your local water quality. Factors like water source, treatment methods, and infrastructure age all contribute to differences between cities in the same state.
To see how individual neighborhoods compare, check the ZIP code reports below - water quality can vary significantly even within Raleigh.
ZIP Codes in Raleigh
Raleigh spans 44 ZIP codes. EPA water-system coverage is available for 17 directly mapped ZIP codes. Check each ZIP code for detailed contaminant data, violation history, and system information.
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- Lead/copper: EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data
- Radon: EPA Map of Radon Zones
- Enforcement: EPA ECHO database
- Filter recommendations: NSF/ANSI certified products
Source reporting periods vary. See each cited source for its publication schedule.