Annual Water Reports and PFAS – This is the main dashboard for this portal. It displays PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) testing data collected from annual Consumer Confidence Reports submitted by public water systems across North Carolina. Click on a city on the map to see what PFAS compounds were detected, whether any results exceeded EPA health limits, and a link to the city’s full water quality report.

Private Wells – This page embeds the EPA’s U.S. Private Domestic Wells map. It shows estimated well counts, well density, and the percentage of residents served by private wells by census block group across North Carolina. This is relevant because private wells are not regulated or routinely tested — homeowners are responsible for their own testing.

EJ Screen This page embeds EJScreen, a tool that combines environmental burden and demographic data. Select an indicator from the left panel — such as Drinking Water Non-Compliance or Wastewater Discharge — to see how each census block group compares to state or national averages. Note: This is an unofficial copy hosted by the Public Environmental Data Partners after the original EPA tool was taken offline.

Division of Water Resources Locator Map This page embeds a map maintained by the NC Department of Environmental Quality. It provides access to a wide range of water quality and permitting data including surface water classifications, wastewater discharge permits, coal ash ponds, and monitoring stations. Use the Layers panel on the right to toggle data layers on or off.

We know there is interest in other information about your water so we are intending to add additional layers. We will include a form soon where you can request additional layers or information to be included in the dashboard.

It is not unusual for drinking water to contain a small level of contaminants that should not pose any risks to human health. For some chemicals, the US Environmental Protection Agency sets limits on the amount of certain contaminants that can be in drinking water to minimize health risks. Currently, the US EPA has legally enforceable standards for over 90 regulated contaminants in drinking water.
Click here for more information on federal drinking water regulations. 

Under the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, the US EPA requires that water systems monitor for a number of unregulated contaminants that are in commercial use,may be harmful to health, and are of interest to the public (e.g. PFAS). Currently, there are 30 unregulated contaminants, including 29 PFAS, covered by this rule. There are no legally enforceable limits for these contaminants, but measuring them helps the EPA document their occurrence and determine if future regulations are needed.
Click here for more information on the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 

As part of the Safe Drinking Water Act, public water systems are required to produce a water quality report, also known as a “consumer confidence report,” each year. The US Environmental Protection Agency and North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality set rules on what information must be collected and shared in each report. Each report contains information on where your drinking water comes from (source water), contaminants measured, compliance with drinking water standards, and other educational information about that water system. In North Carolina, water providers routinely monitor for over 150 contaminants, but not all of those will be detected and thus not shared in an annual report.
Click here for a template of a 2025 North Carolina report. 

Only public water systems are required to produce water quality reports, and these do not cover private wells. There are different rules depending on how many people are served by a water system; larger systems that serve 100,000 people or more must make their reports publicly available online. Drinking water systems that serve fewer than 100,000 people must share annual reports with their customers, but are not required to make the reports publicly available. As such, this dashboard includes information that we are able to access, meaning many smaller water systems may not be represented.
Click here for more information on how annual reports must be distributed and shared in North Carolina. 

Protecting our drinking water is everyone’s responsibility. Sources of drinking water include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. Understanding where your drinking water comes from and potential sources of contamination (source water awareness) can help inform how you can take action to protect water quality. 

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a nonprofit organization focused on research and advocacy related to chemicals in our homes and environment. The information that EWG compiles may help you make more informed decisions as a consumer. Click here to see EWG’s Tap Water Database for North Carolina, which will give you information on public water systems, contaminants, at-home filter options, and opportunities for advocacy. 

Throughout North Carolina, Waterkeepers work to protect our drinking water, using research and advocacy to ensure we have clean and healthy lakes, rivers, and beaches.
Click here to find your local Waterkeeper. For more information on how you can get involved locally, click here.