Cary, Town of
EPA ID: NC0392020 · 224,000 people served · 11 ZIP codes
Looking at the EPA enforcement file for Cary, Town of, 12 violations are listed as unresolved — those findings cover the utility's service area of approximately 224,000 people and remain open in the federal compliance system, awaiting formal corrective action documentation.
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02
Compliance Trajectory
Worsening · Risk tier: High · 95% chance of violation in next 12 months
Violations went from 5 (2022) to 4 (2024). The pattern suggests growing compliance challenges.
Service Area Map
Coverage area for Cary, Town of Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary — Grade C
Service Area Demographics
The Cary, Town of serves a community with a median household income of $118,399 and an estimated 381,609 residents across its service area.
🌊 Where Does Your Water Come From?
Cary, Town of's water is drawn from rivers, lakes, or reservoirs. Surface water sources are more exposed to agricultural runoff, stormwater, and upstream discharges, but they typically receive more intensive treatment before reaching your tap.
About 1% of homes in Wake County, North Carolina rely on private wells rather than public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own water testing and treatment.
Infrastructure Risk
Detected Contaminants
How Cary, Town of compares to EPA limits
What This Means For You
Lead at 4 mg/L (action level) exceeds the EPA maximum of 0.015 mg/L (action level). Brain damage in children, kidney & blood pressure in adults. Consider reverse osmosis filtration.
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) at 8 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of 0.08 mg/L. Bladder & rectal cancer risk; reproductive concerns. Consider granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration.
Surface Water Treatment Rule at 79 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) at 3 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of 0.06 mg/L. Cancer risk; reproductive & developmental effects. Consider granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration.
Stage 1 DBP Rule at 14 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
PFAS Detected in Service Area
PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been detected in water serving this system's area. 46 detections recorded. 8 exceed federal EPA limits (4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS).
Lead was detected in this water system. reverse osmosis filtration can reduce exposure.
Find a certified water filter →Comparable Water Systems
Similar-sized systems in North Carolina
Estimated Remediation Costs
Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system
Based on national averages for common remediation projects. Actual costs vary by property. Only issues flagged by EPA, FEMA, or state data for each ZIP code are included.
System Overview
Cary, Town of (EPA ID: NC0392020) is a community water system in North Carolina that serves approximately 224,000 people from surface water sources.
This system provides water to 11 ZIP codes across 5 communities.
Average Home Safety Score: C (62/100)
Based on water quality violations, lead levels, and radon risk across all ZIP codes served by this system.
Violation History
Recent Violations
| Date | Contaminant | Type | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 6, 2025 | Lead and Copper Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| July 1, 2025 | Stage 1 DBP Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| July 1, 2025 | Surface Water Treatment Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| July 1, 2025 | Gross Alpha | Health-based | Unresolved |
| June 11, 2025 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| April 1, 2025 | Radium-228 | Monitoring | Resolved |
| April 1, 2025 | Gross Alpha | Health-based | Unresolved |
Contaminants Detected
The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | Health-Based |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment Failure | 79 | No |
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Failure | 14 | No |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 8 | No |
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting Failure | 8 | Yes |
| Lead | Inorganic | 4 | No |
| Gross Alpha | Radionuclides | 4 | Yes |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 3 | No |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | Microbiological | 3 | No |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Failure | 2 | No |
| Copper | Inorganic | 1 | No |
| Contaminant 2067 | Other Violation | 1 | No |
| Combined Radium | Radionuclides | 1 | No |
| Radium-228 | Radionuclides | 1 | No |
Health Risk Details
Gross Alpha Particle Activity (EPA limit: pCi/L)
Increased cancer risk from radioactive particles At-risk groups: long-term residents in areas with uranium or radium-rich geology, people on private wells in western US.
Removal methods: reverse osmosis, ion exchange (anion exchange for radium), lime softening. Find the right filter →
Lead & Copper
EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data for ZIP codes served by this system:
| ZIP Code | Lead Level | Exceeds Limit | Sample Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27511 | 0.00304 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 27512 | 0.00304 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 27513 | 0.00304 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 27518 | 0.00304 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 27519 | 0.00304 mg/L | No | N/A |
Radon Risk in Service Area
Dominant radon zone for ZIP codes served by this system: Zone 2 (Moderate Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Need help with your water quality?
Typical cost: Water test: typically $20–$50 (DIY kit) · Professional inspection: $150–$400
Find the Right Water FilterFree tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking — this helps flush lead from your pipes.
ZIP Codes Served
Coverage: 10 ZIP codes confirmed via EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 plus 1 additional ZIP inferred from SDWIS registry data. The EPA-confirmed set is the most reliable; SDWIS-inferred entries may be narrower than the real deployment area.
- 27511 — Cary
- 27512 — Cary
- 27513 — Cary
- 27518 — Cary
- 27519 — Cary
- 27523 — Apex
- 27539 — Apex
- 27560 — Morrisville
- 27606 — Raleigh
- 27607 — Raleigh
- 27713 — Durham
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Cary, Town of (NC0392020) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cary, Town of water safe to drink?
Cary, Town of has recorded 5 health-based violations in the past 5 years. While the system is required to treat water to meet federal standards, you may want to consider additional precautions such as a certified water filter.
How many people does Cary, Town of serve?
Cary, Town of serves approximately 224,000 people across 11 ZIP codes in North Carolina.
Where does Cary, Town of get its water?
The primary water source is surface water.
Contact Your Water Utility
Public-record contact information for the water utility serving this system. Use these channels to request water quality reports, ask about service, or report issues directly.
Contact information from Town of Cary Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility, does not act as its agent, and does not provide customer support for it. Contact details shown are public-record information from CCR filings. For service issues, contact the utility directly using the information above.
Water Source & Treatment
Where this water originates and how it's treated before reaching your tap.
Source: Town of Cary Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. Treatment and source data are sourced from the utility's published CCR filings.
Our drinking water source is the B. Everett Jordan Reservoir (Jordan Lake), located approximately 10 miles west of Cary in eastern Chatham County, part of the Cape Fear River Basin. The NC DEQ Source Water Assessment Program rated Jordan Lake's susceptibility to potential contaminant sources as 'Higher,' reflecting the number and location of potential contaminant sources within the assessment area. Cary has implemented source water protection measures including restriction of land uses within water supply basins, impervious area limitations, and engineered stormwater control structures.
Treatment regime
How this utility classifies its treatment process and what each reported treatment chemical does.
Treatment chemicals and what each one does
Chemical names are reported verbatim by the utility. Purpose categories are ZipCheckup annotations based on standard drinking-water treatment practice.
Watershed exposure sources reported
Land-use and natural conditions identified in the utility's source-water assessment as potential contamination sources upstream of treatment.
Treatment classification and chemical list sourced from Town of Cary Consumer Confidence Report.
Treatment intensity is a ZipCheckup-derived classification based on the chemicals and processes the utility reports. Chemicals and contamination sources are taken verbatim from the utility's CCR filing. Routine federal monitoring and contaminant testing shown elsewhere on this page determine whether the water meets safety standards, not the treatment classification.
Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Detected
This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). PFAS compounds were detected below the current state-enforceable MCL.
Current MCL reflects the lowest state-enforceable limit (NYS 10 ppt for PFOA/PFOS, effective August 2020). The federal final MCL of 4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS (EPA April 2024 rule) is not enforceable until April 2029. Detections above 4 ppt but below 10 ppt are below current MCL but above the future federal limit.
Source: U.S. EPA UCMR5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 5th cycle) — per-system federal sampling, 2023–2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program →
Lead Service Line Inventory
Service line breakdown reported under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) inventory requirement:
Federal LCRI rule (effective October 2024) requires every public water system to inventory its service lines and complete lead-line replacement within 10 years.
Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Service Line Inventory (Phase 2) · Submitted 2026
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with the utility or state agency. Inventory figures render verbatim from the public LCRI submission cited above; ZipCheckup does not perform inspections or replacements.
Aesthetic water quality
These measurements describe the look, taste, and feel of the water this utility delivers. They are not contaminant violations — they sit alongside federal Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels (SMCLs) which the EPA publishes as non-enforceable guidance.
Aesthetic measurements from Town of Cary Consumer Confidence Report.
Aesthetic measurements are reported by the utility from its annual sampling. EPA Secondary MCLs are advisory thresholds — values outside them indicate aesthetic concerns such as taste or appearance, not health violations. Federal contaminant testing is shown in the sections above.
Notable events and violations
This section summarizes events the utility chose to disclose in its most recent Consumer Confidence Report, plus any federal compliance violations the utility recorded against itself. Both lists are utility-authored — ZipCheckup does not audit, judge, or reorder them.
Notable events from the utility's CCR
These bullet entries are the utility's own narration of operational, regulatory, or infrastructure events during the reporting period.
- Completed Lead Service Line Inventory (submitted September 2024); confirmed no lead service lines exist in Cary's water system
- Biofiltration now integral to treatment process, with biological activation continuing in phases across conventional filters
- Cary's water received Partnership for Safe Water President's Award for the fourth consecutive year and Director's Award for 22nd consecutive year
- 1,4-dioxane tested 12 times in 2025: not detected
ZipCheckup note: items above reflect what the utility published in its most recent CCR. Federal violation records are also tracked separately by the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) — the SDWIS record is the authoritative federal source for any specific regulatory action.
How Water Systems Appear in Rankings
Water systems are evaluated by violation history, contaminant detections, and service population. Larger systems with more service connections appear in more rankings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What You Can Do
Test your water
Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter →
Check your specific ZIP code
Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report →
Contact your utility
Cary, Town of (EPA ID: NC0392020) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.