Historical Compliance Records NC 1 HEALTH VIOLATION

Cary, Town of

EPA ID: NC0392020 ยท 227,300 people served ยท 10 ZIP codes

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA SDWIS for Cary, Town of (NC0392020): 1 past health-based violation, since resolved. On record: Cary, Town of, 2 violations, all resolved, 227,300 in service area.

Data: EPA SDWIS

B ยท 74
Avg Safety Score
227,300
People Served
10
ZIP Codes Served
2
Violations (5yr)
Surface Water
Water Source
Zone 2
Radon Risk ยท Moderate
2
Contaminants Flagged
$481K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Service Area Map

Coverage area for Cary, Town of Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary - Grade B

Service Area Demographics

$118,399
Median Household Income
381,609
Service Area Population
12%
Disadvantaged Population
31th
Poverty Percentile
22th
Energy Burden Percentile
25%
Pre-1986 Housing

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.

๐ŸŒŠ Where Does Your Water Come From?

Surface Water

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.

Elevated Risk
Source Contamination Risk
30th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
59th
Superfund Site Proximity

Infrastructure Risk

31 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Copper
Pipe Material
37 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Moderate Wear
Decay Status
Installed 46% of expected lifespan used End of life

Detected Contaminants

How Cary, Town of compares to EPA limits

What This Means For You

Lead and Copper Rule at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.

Consumer Confidence Report Rule at 1 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).

State limits: HFPO-DA: 0.01 ppt
Health concern: PFAS are linked to cancer, thyroid disease, immune suppression, and developmental effects. They do not break down naturally.
Recommended filter: Reverse osmosis (RO) or activated carbon filters certified for PFAS removal. Find the right filter โ†’

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in North Carolina

B 0 violations
Cfpua-wilmington
212,227 people
A 3 violations
Union County Water System
169,685 people
B 1 violation
City of Asheville
157,431 people
C 3 violations
A 5 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Flood Insurance PFAS Treatment Water Filtration Radon Mitigation
Flood Insurance $1,260
PFAS Treatment $550
Water Filtration $450
Radon Mitigation $280
Total Estimated Cost $2,540

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.

Cost of Inaction

If water quality issues in this service area are not addressed, the estimated financial impact per household is:

Estimated Healthcare Costs $500

Annual per household (CDC est.)

PFAS Exposure - Lifetime Cost $1,000

Per person (emerging research est.)

Estimated Cumulative Cost Per Household

5 years
$2,665
10 years
$5,330
20 years
$10,660

Compare: Estimated remediation cost is $2,540 (one-time) vs. $5,330 in estimated inaction costs over 10 years.

Estimates based on published EPA, CDC, and peer-reviewed research. Individual costs vary by household size, property, and health factors. These are conservative lower-bound estimates intended for awareness, not financial advice.

System Overview

Cary, Town of (EPA ID: NC0392020) is a community water system in North Carolina that serves approximately 227,300 people from surface water sources.

This system provides water to 10 ZIP codes across 5 communities.

ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: B (74/100)

This is the average Home Safety Score for 5 of 10 service-area ZIP codes with all required score domains observed. It is not a grade for the water utility.

Model 4.0.0 uses SDWIS identity plus accepted ECHO SDWA lifecycle-based water compliance, the UCMR 5 PFAS MCL screen, EPA radon zone, and annual EPA AirData AQI across three equally weighted domains. Missing required evidence suppresses the score.

Violation History

No current noncompliance in the accepted 2026Q2 snapshot. The 2 records in the 2021-2026 window are classified as resolved or archived, not current.

Status breakdown for accepted records with record years 2021-2026: 2 resolved, 0 archived, 0 addressed, and 0 unaddressed. Under this source contract, current noncompliance is the sum of addressed and unaddressed records. Archived and resolved records are excluded from current noncompliance.

Recent Violations

Date Contaminant Type Status
May 10, 2023 Lead and Copper Rule Non-health-based Resolved
May 1, 2023 Consumer Confidence Report Rule Health-based Resolved

Contaminants Detected

The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:

Contaminant Category Violations Health-Based
Lead and Copper Rule Treatment Failure 1 No
Consumer Confidence Report Rule Reporting Failure 1 Yes

Lead & Copper

EPA Lead and Copper Rule evidence attributed directly to this water system:

Lead Level Exceeds Action Level Sample Date
0 mg/L No N/A

No copper action-level exceedance record appears for this PWSID in the accepted LCR snapshot. This does not establish a clean copper measurement.

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 $20โ€“$50 (DIY kit) ยท Professional inspection: $150โ€“$400

Find the Right Water Filter

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

ZIP Codes Served

Coverage: Service area ZIP codes sourced from EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 (March 2026 release). These ZIPs reflect the actual deployment footprint recorded by NC or modeled from parcel and building-footprint data.

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?

The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot shows no current noncompliance for Cary, Town of; its 2 accepted 2021-2026 records are resolved or archived. Historical compliance status does not establish conditions at a specific tap.

How many people does Cary, Town of serve?

Cary, Town of serves approximately 227,300 people across 10 ZIP codes in North Carolina.

Where does Cary, Town of get its water?

The primary water source is surface water.

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.

Samples collected
116
Detections
13
Latest sample
11/4/2025
Highest analyte
PFBA: 7.3 ppt
Analyte Max detected Current MCL Status
PFBA 7.3 ppt โ€” โ€”
PFPeA 7 ppt โ€” โ€”
PFHxA 6.6 ppt โ€” โ€”
PFBS 3.4 ppt โ€” โ€”

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) โ€” per-system federal sampling, 2023โ€“2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program โ†’

Understand PFAS health context and filtration โ†’

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

Is water from Cary, Town of safe to drink?
Cary, Town of earns a B safety grade with 2 violations in the past 5 years. Tap water meets EPA standards for most contaminants.
What contaminants are in Cary, Town of's water?
Detected contaminants include Lead and Copper Rule, Consumer Confidence Report Rule. Each is compared against EPA maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) in the detailed breakdown above.
Should I use a water filter?
Given 2 contaminants above EPA limits, a certified water filter can provide an extra layer of protection. The best type depends on specific contaminants in your water.
How many people does Cary, Town of serve?
Cary, Town of serves approximately 227,300 people with drinking water across 10 ZIP codes.
What is Cary, Town of's water source?
Cary, Town of draws water from surface water sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
What is the demographic profile of Cary, Town of's service area?
The Cary, Town of service area has a median household income of $118,399. Demographic data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and EPA EJScreen.
Where does Cary, Town of get its water?
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. Based on the exported violation history and environmental factors, the source contamination risk is classified as elevated.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (n.d.). Cary, Town of (NC): 1 Health Violation. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/nc0392020/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-nc0392020,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Cary, Town of (NC): 1 Health Violation}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/nc0392020/}
}

What You Can Do

1

Test your water

Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter โ†’

2

Check your specific ZIP code

Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report โ†’

3

Contact your utility

Cary, Town of (EPA ID: NC0392020) - request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.

Home Water Systems North Carolina Cary, Town of

Get safety alerts for Cary, Town of, North Carolina

Free updates when EPA data changes for this area. No spam.

Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy Policy.

Share This Page

X Facebook
Violations found - check filter options Free tool - no phone call required.