States › North Carolina › Wake County

Wake County, NC Water Quality

Water quality data for 10 public water systems serving Wake County, North Carolina — based on EPA SDWIS enforcement records, lead testing results, and health-based violation history.

📅 2026 Report 🔄 Data updated 2026 Q2 📍 10 water systems · 12 cities
✅
Excellent — All Systems Performing Well

Water quality across the county is outstanding with minimal violations and very low lead levels.

A

Wake County Earns a A

Wake County: 12 communities across 10 water systems. 91.7% have no open violations.

  • Median lead where detected: 2.30 ppb
  • 2 communities with a lead detection, 10 reporting none detected
  • 2 communities with PFAS above the federal limit
  • 0 with significant inspection deficiencies
  • 91.7% of communities have no open violations
2.3 ppb
Median Lead Level
County-wide, 90th percentile
10
Water Systems
Active CWS & NTNCWS
91%
Violation-Free
No active violations on record
How we grade counties: MyWaterIQ uses EPA SDWIS enforcement data — actual MCL violations and lead test results — not the aspirational MCLG targets used by some sites. A grade reflects real compliance history, not theoretical risk. Learn more →

Cities by Water Quality

⭐ Best Performing
  • Raleigh
    Not detected
    No federal limits exceeded on record
    A
  • Apex
    Not detected
    No federal limits exceeded on record
    A
  • Garner
    Not detected
    No federal limits exceeded on record
    A
  • Wendell
    Not detected
    No federal limits exceeded on record
    B
  • Rolesville
    Not detected
    No federal limits exceeded on record
    A
⚠ Needs Attention
  • Wake Forest
    Not detected
    Copper above the 1,300 ppb action level
    D
  • Holly Springs
    Not detected
    PFAS above the limit at 1 of 1 sampling points
    C
  • Morrisville
    Not detected
    PFAS above the limit at 2 of 2 sampling points
    B
  • Knightdale
    3.00 ppb
    17 health-based violations since 2015
    B
  • Cary
    Not detected
    1 health-based violation since 2015
    A
County Lead Level — Median 2.3 ppb
Based on most recent 90th percentile lead tests across all reporting systems
0 ppb5 ppb10 ppb15 ppb
County median: 2.3 ppb — 15.3% of the federal action level
Systems by Lead Level
Under 5 ppb
2
No Data
10

All Cities in Wake County

Raleigh Not detected A
Cary Not detected A
Apex Not detected A
Fuquay-Varina Not detected B
Holly Springs Not detected C
Garner Not detected A
Wake Forest Not detected D
Knightdale 3.00 ppb B
Wendell Not detected B
Rolesville Not detected A
Morrisville Not detected B
Zebulon 1.60 ppb B
Showing 12 cities
No active violations Active violations

About Wake County Drinking Water

Wake County is served by 10 water systems covering 12 communities. 92% have no open violations.

Of the communities reporting lead results, 2 recorded a detection, with a median of 2.30 ppb — 15% of the federal action level. 10 reported none detected, which means below the laboratory limit rather than an absence of lead.

2 of 12 communities have PFAS above the limits EPA set in 2024, measured as a running annual average at each sampling point. State inspectors recorded no significant deficiencies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Wake County tap water safe to drink?▼
92% of communities have no open violation. 2 of 12 have PFAS above the federal limit, which is the main open concern.
What is the lead level in Wake County?▼
Among communities with a detection the median is 2.30 ppb, 15% of the 15 ppb action level. 10 reported none detected and 0 reported no result.
How many water systems serve Wake County?▼
10 community water systems serve 12 communities here.
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