Health Concerns Found SCHOOL DISTRICT PFAS DETECTED

Wake County Schools (NC): 105 Health Violations

41 ZIP codes · 81 water systems · 1,656,081 people served

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA drinking-water data for Wake County Schools: 99 unresolved violations in the water systems serving this district.

Data: ZipCheckup Home Safety Score model 4.0.0, EPA SDWIS and UCMR 5, EPA radon zones, EPA AirData, NCES

C · 64
Avg Safety Score (34 ZIP)
41
ZIP Codes
81
Water Systems
1538
Violations (5yr) (41 ZIP)
0.0038 mg/L
Avg Lead Level
37
ZIPs with PFAS
Zone 2
Radon Risk (41 ZIP)

Why School Water Quality Matters

Children drink 2–4× more water per pound of body weight than adults, making them more vulnerable to contaminants. School water quality affects students for hours every weekday.

Home Safety and Water Evidence Overview

The Wake County Schools in North Carolina spans 41 ZIP codes. This materialization has canonical Home Safety Scores for 34 ZIP records and typed EPA water violation counts for 41 ZIP records. Missing evidence is not treated as zero.

The deduplicated primary-system served-population sum is 1,656,081 across 13 water systems. This is not the district resident population.

The average Home Safety Score under model 4.0.0 across 34 scored ZIP records is C (64/100)

  • with the lowest-scoring area at 50/100 .

Water quality in this district falls in the bottom 54% nationally.

Why This Matters for Children

Children are more vulnerable to water contaminants than adults. The EPA and CDC identify these key risks:

  • Lead exposure - Even low levels of lead can affect brain development, reduce IQ, and cause behavioral problems in children. There is no safe level of lead for children.
  • PFAS ("forever chemicals") - Linked to immune system effects and developmental delays in children. Children drink more water relative to body weight than adults.
  • Nitrate - Dangerous for infants (can cause "blue baby syndrome"). Agricultural areas often have elevated nitrate.
  • Disinfection byproducts - Long-term exposure may increase cancer risk. School water fountains often have stagnant water that concentrates these compounds.

Lead Levels in the District

Metric Value EPA Threshold
Average lead level (90th percentile) 0.0038 mg/L 0.015 mg/L
Highest lead level 0.015 mg/L 0.015 mg/L
ZIP records exceeding EPA action level 0 of 41 with known status -

PFAS Contamination

PFAS ("forever chemicals") detected in 37 ZIP records in this district. The aggregate does not treat ZIP records without PFAS evidence as tested negatives. One or more PFAS compounds exceed EPA maximum contaminant levels.

Detected compounds: PFBA, PFOS, PFPeA, PFHxA, PFOA, PFHxS, PFHpA, PFBS, 6:2 FTS, PFPeS.

Highest measured level: 0.1526 µg/L.

PFAS can accumulate in the body over time. Children's higher water intake relative to body weight makes them particularly susceptible. Reverse osmosis filters (NSF/ANSI 58) are the most effective at removing PFAS.

Learn more about PFAS in drinking water →

EPA Violation History

105 health-based violations recorded across 41 ZIP records with known health counts in the past 5 years. 35 of 41 ZIP records with known total counts have at least one violation. 99 violations remain unresolved.

Contaminants of Concern

Contaminant Category Violations Health-Based ZIPs Affected
Surface Water Treatment Rule Treatment Technique 234 No 29
Consumer Confidence Report Rule Reporting 98 Yes 27
Lead and Copper Rule Treatment Technique 63 No 21
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) Disinfection Byproducts 62 Yes 23
Gross Alpha Radionuclides 60 Yes 11
Stage 2 DBP Rule Treatment Technique 50 Yes 19
Revised Total Coliform Rule Microbiological 47 No 13
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Disinfection Byproducts 46 Yes 18

Radon Risk

Dominant radon zone: Zone 2 (Moderate risk)

Water Facts and Home Safety Score by ZIP Code

ZIP Code City Home Safety Score EPA Violations Health Lead Level Exceeds?
27603 Raleigh D (50) 279 18 0.0093 mg/L No
27526 Fuquay Varina N/A 205 1 0.0075 mg/L No
27592 Willow Spring C (67) 167 1 0.0075 mg/L No
27539 Apex D (50) 131 1 0.00559 mg/L No
27703 Durham C (67) 102 1 0 mg/L No
27545 Knightdale D (50) 82 22 0.0065 mg/L No
27529 Garner D (50) 80 9 0.0093 mg/L No
27587 Wake Forest D (50) 47 4 0.0085 mg/L No
27610 Raleigh D (50) 46 6 0.01 mg/L No
27606 Raleigh D (50) 43 10 0.0074 mg/L No
27597 Zebulon N/A 42 7 0.0055 mg/L No
27560 Morrisville D (53) 40 1 0 mg/L No
27614 Raleigh D (52) 26 1 0.00205 mg/L No
27519 Cary B (75) 25 1 0 mg/L No
27520 Clayton B (75) 24 2 0.0109 mg/L No
27713 Durham B (72) 24 2 0.0019 mg/L No
27591 Wendell C (59) 19 2 0.015 mg/L No
27562 New Hill B (75) 16 2 0 mg/L No
27613 Raleigh C (62) 16 0 0.002 mg/L No
27540 Holly Springs C (60) 14 0 0.005 mg/L No
27615 Raleigh C (62) 14 0 0.0045 mg/L No
27616 Raleigh C (56) 14 1 0.00164 mg/L No
27501 Angier N/A 12 1 0.0015 mg/L No
27518 Cary B (79) 12 1 0.00343 mg/L No
27596 Youngsville N/A 12 3 0 mg/L No
27523 Apex B (79) 10 3 0.0019 mg/L No
27571 Rolesville C (57) 10 1 0.0027 mg/L No
27513 Cary B (81) 7 1 0.0072 mg/L No
27607 Raleigh C (65) 4 1 0.0072 mg/L No
27502 Apex C (65) 3 1 0 mg/L No
27511 Cary B (82) 3 1 0 mg/L No
27522 Creedmoor B (82) 3 0 0.003 mg/L No
27604 Raleigh C (66) 2 0 0.0073 mg/L No
27612 Raleigh C (66) 2 0 0 mg/L No
27617 Raleigh C (66) 2 0 0 mg/L No
27601 Raleigh N/A 0 0 0 mg/L No
27605 Raleigh N/A 0 0 0 mg/L No
27608 Raleigh C (67) 0 0 0 mg/L No
27609 Raleigh C (67) 0 0 0 mg/L No
27695 Raleigh B (83) 0 0 0 mg/L No
27697 Raleigh N/A 0 0 0 mg/L No

What Parents Can Do

  1. Request lead testing at your child's school - The EPA's 3Ts program (Training, Testing, Taking Action) provides guidance for schools. Ask your school board about their water testing schedule.
  2. Review the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) - Your water utility publishes this annually. It details all detected contaminants.
  3. Test your home's water - Especially if your home has older plumbing (pre-1986) that may contain lead solder or lead pipes.
  4. Address PFAS - If PFAS are detected in your area, a reverse osmosis or activated carbon block filter rated NSF/ANSI 53 or 58 can reduce levels significantly.
  5. Pack water from home - If you're concerned about school water quality, send your child with a water bottle filled at home (filtered if possible).
  6. Stay informed - Bookmark this page to check for updates on water quality in your school district.

Need help with school water quality?

Typical cost: Water test: typically $20–$50 (DIY kit) · Professional inspection: $150–$400

Find the Right Water Filter

Free tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking — this helps flush lead from your pipes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the water safe in Wake County Schools schools?

EPA system-level records associated with Wake County Schools show 105 health-based violations across 41 ZIP records with known health counts. These records do not measure individual school taps. Parents should request current building-level testing results from the school district.

Does Wake County Schools test for lead in school water?

Federal law does not require schools to test for lead in drinking water (except in some states with specific mandates). The EPA's voluntary 3Ts program encourages testing. Contact your school district office to ask about their testing schedule and results.

What level of lead is safe for children?

There is no safe level of lead for children, according to the CDC. The EPA action level of 0.015 mg/L (15 ppb) triggers corrective action for water systems, but the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that school water contain no more than 0.001 mg/L (1 ppb).

Are there PFAS in Wake County Schools water?

Yes, PFAS have been detected in 37 ZIP records associated with this district. ZIP records without PFAS evidence are not counted as tested negatives. PFAS are "forever chemicals" that do not break down and can accumulate in the body. The EPA has set maximum contaminant levels for certain PFAS compounds.

Data Sources

Updated daily.

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How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (n.d.). Wake County Schools (NC): 105 Health Violations. https://zipcheckup.com/schools/wake-county-schools-nc/
BibTeX 
@misc{zipcheckup-schools-wake-county-schools-nc,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Wake County Schools (NC): 105 Health Violations}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/schools/wake-county-schools-nc/}
}
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