City of Raleigh water quality

Updated 2026-10-22 · North Carolina · Affiliate disclosure

We read 13 results from City of Raleigh’s 2025 water quality report. No results over a legal limit or above a health goal.

Serves about 640,000 people · Water system ID NC0392010 · Read the district’s 2025 report (opens in a new tab)

Open this district in the water lookupCompare with your own test results, see the district map and get matched filters.

Results from the 2025 report

Each number is copied from the district’s report and links to the page it’s printed on. Where the report lists several plants, wells or purchased water, the highest is shown.

ContaminantResultHealth goalLegal limitWhat it means
Chloramineas reported · range 0.02 to 4 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 42.8 ppmNone set4 ppmBelow the legal limit
Chlorineas reported · range 0.09 to 3.95 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 42.26 ppmNone set4 ppmBelow the legal limit
Copper90th percentile of 85 homes tested, 0 over the action level · Customer taps (85 sites) · 2025 report, page 40.04 ppm0.3 ppm1.3 ppm (action level)Below the health goal
Disinfection byproducts (HAA5)as reported · range 4.28 to 33.6 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 422 ppbNone set60 ppbBelow the legal limit
Disinfection byproducts (TTHM)as reported · range 7.6 to 42.8 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 434.2 ppbNone set80 ppbBelow the legal limit
Fluorideas reported · range 0.14 to 0.71 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 40.71 ppm1 ppm4 ppmBelow the health goal
Lead90th percentile of 85 homes tested, 0 over the action level · Customer taps (85 sites) · 2025 report, page 4Not detected0.2 ppb15 ppb (action level)Not detected
pHas reported · range 8.3 to 8.45 · System · 2025 report, page 58.4——Normal range
Sulfateas reported · range 37.6 to 46.3 · System · 2025 report, page 546.3 ppm—250 ppm guidelineWithin the guideline
Turbidity (cloudiness)highest measured · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 40.08 NTUNone set1 NTUBelow the legal limit
Alkalinityas reported · range 22.8 to 46 · System · 2025 report, page 529.8 ppmNone setNoneNo health limit
Hardnessas reported · range 1.28 to 2.06 · System · 2025 report, page 51.47 gpg (25.2 ppm)——Soft
Sodiumas reported · range 22.8 to 24.3 · System · 2025 report, page 524.3 ppmNone setNoneNo health limit

Utility results describe the whole system, measured where water enters the pipes, not your tap. Your home’s plumbing can add lead or copper.

EPA testing for PFAS and lithium

EPA’s own nationwide testing (UCMR 5) found these in City of Raleigh’s water between Apr 2023 and Mar 2024. These are EPA lab results, separate from the district’s report. Anything not listed was not detected.

  • PFOS5.6 pptFound in 2 of 8 samples · highest resultAbove the federal limit that takes effect in 2029 (4 ppt)
  • PFBS3.3 pptFound in 4 of 8 samples · highest resultNo federal limit in force for this one

Source: EPA UCMR 5 occurrence data. The highest single result is shown; one high sample doesn’t mean every glass is that high.

What you can do

Nothing here is an emergency notice: if the district has a violation, it must tell customers directly. If you’d like to lower these at your tap, these are the treatments that remove them, and the catalog shows the models certified for each. Ranking is by certified removal; commissions never change the order.

PFAS ("forever chemicals")

Found: PFOS (EPA testing)

What removes it: Reverse osmosis.

See filters that remove itWhat water filter removes PFAS?

More districts: North Carolina water quality · All states · Something look wrong? Tell us