Carolina Trace Water System
Carolina Trace Water System (EPA ID NC0353101) in Charlotte, NC supplies surface water (rivers, lakes) to about 4,516 people: 2 violations since 2016, latest lead result 0 ppb, PFAS 14 ppt.
Health-based violations since 2016: TTHM. 1 is still listed as unresolved in EPA records.
90th-percentile lead in the latest round (Jan 2026). Lead comes mostly from household plumbing and service lines, so individual homes can be higher.
Highest PFOA or PFOS result in EPA’s 2023–2025 testing was at or above 4.0 ppt, EPA’s 2024 maximum contaminant level for each. 8 PFAS compounds detected.
Service area
EPA service-area boundary (state-supplied or EPA-modeled)System facts
Health-based violations
| Contaminant or rule | Health-based violations since 2016 |
|---|---|
| TTHM | 2 |
A health-based violation means a contaminant exceeded its legal limit (MCL) or a required treatment technique was not met, as reported by the state to EPA’s SDWIS. 1 still listed as unresolved (“unaddressed” or “addressed” but not yet returned to compliance); the latest began Jul 2026.
Lead
90th-percentile lead per sampling round (90% of the homes sampled were at or below this level). Black line: EPA’s 15 ppb action level; under the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements the action level becomes 10 ppb from 2027.
PFAS
| Compound | Highest result | Samples with detection | EPA limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFOS | 14 ppt | 4 of 4 | 4 ppt MCL |
| PFPeA | 11.5 ppt | 4 of 4 | — |
| PFHxA | 10 ppt | 4 of 4 | — |
| PFOA | 9.7 ppt | 4 of 4 | 4 ppt MCL |
| PFBA | 7.2 ppt | 3 of 4 | — |
| PFBS | 5.2 ppt | 3 of 4 | — |
| PFHpA | 4.8 ppt | 2 of 4 | — |
| PFHxS | 4 ppt | 2 of 4 | — |
| PFNA | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
| PFDA | not detected | 0 of 4 | — |
EPA Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 5), samples 2023–2025; ppt = parts per trillion (ng/L). The 4.0 ppt maximum contaminant levels for PFOA and PFOS were set by EPA in 2024; water systems have until the end of the decade to comply.
What this is — and isn’t. These are records your water utility and state reported to the EPA, and the EPA’s radon map for your county. They describe the system and the area, not the water from your own tap or the air in your home. For that, read your utility’s annual Consumer Confidence Report and test: lead and radon tests are inexpensive.
Questions
Has Carolina Trace Water System had drinking water violations?
Health-based violations since 2016: TTHM. 1 is still listed as unresolved in EPA records.
What is the lead level in Carolina Trace Water System water?
The latest 90th-percentile lead result (Jan 2026) was 0 ppb. EPA’s action level is 15 ppb (10 ppb from 2027).
Does Carolina Trace Water System have PFAS in its water?
Highest PFOA or PFOS result in EPA’s 2023–2025 testing was at or above 4.0 ppt, EPA’s 2024 maximum contaminant level for each. 8 PFAS compounds detected.