Wake County, North Carolina has about 1,232,444 residents (Census 2024 estimate) and 326 community water systems in EPA records. The largest local system is Raleigh, City of, serving about 650,000 people from surface water.
! 1 of 6 largest systems with health-based violationsPFAS detected at 6 of 6 sampled systemsHardness 1.5 gpg (high confidence)
Public-record figures, not a test of your tap. Not 100% accurate or guaranteed. Confirm with a water test, your utility or a qualified pro before you buy or act.
How hard is Wake County water?
Raleigh, City ofMeasured (utility report, 2025) · High confidence
Public-record figures, not a test of your tap. Not 100% accurate or guaranteed. Confirm with a water test, your utility or a qualified pro before you buy or act.
Softener size at 1.5 gpg
For a 3-person home using 57 gallons per person per day and regenerating weekly, you'd remove about 1,796 grains between regenerations. Suggested size: 24,000 grain.
Estimate only. Not 100% accurate or guaranteed. Confirm with a water test, your utility or a qualified pro before you buy or act.
The 6 biggest of 326 community water systems on EPA records for this county. Service areas don't follow county lines; your water bill names your provider.
Raleigh, City of
NC0392010 · serves about 650,000 people · Surface water
✓ No health-based violations✓ Lead below detectionPFAS detected (5 types)
Lead 90th percentile: <DL (below the lab detection/reporting limit; reported as 0) (period starting 2023-01-01) Older result. Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).
PFBA: highest sample 9 ppt (3 of 8 samples); no federal limit
PFOS: highest sample 5.6 ppt (2 of 8 samples); federal limit 4.0 ppt as a running annual average
PFPeA: highest sample 4.3 ppt (2 of 8 samples); no federal limit
PFHxA: highest sample 4.2 ppt (2 of 8 samples); no federal limit
PFBS: highest sample 3.3 ppt (4 of 8 samples); no individual limit; counted in EPA's PFAS mixture (hazard index) limit
NC0392020 · serves about 227,300 people · Surface water
! 1 health-based violation✓ Lead below detectionPFAS detected (4 types)
Lead 90th percentile: <DL (below the lab detection/reporting limit; reported as 0) (period starting 2023-01-01) Older result. Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).
PFBA: highest sample 7.3 ppt (4 of 4 samples); no federal limit
PFPeA: highest sample 7 ppt (4 of 4 samples); no federal limit
PFHxA: highest sample 6.6 ppt (3 of 4 samples); no federal limit
PFBS: highest sample 3.4 ppt (2 of 4 samples); no individual limit; counted in EPA's PFAS mixture (hazard index) limit
NC0392045 · serves about 83,001 people · Surface water
✓ No health-based violations✓ Lead below detectionPFAS detected (4 types)
Lead 90th percentile: <DL (below the lab detection/reporting limit; reported as 0) (period starting 2023-01-01) Older result. Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).
PFBA: highest sample 8.9 ppt (2 of 4 samples); no federal limit
PFPeA: highest sample 7.8 ppt (4 of 4 samples); no federal limit
PFHxA: highest sample 6.8 ppt (4 of 4 samples); no federal limit
PFBS: highest sample 4 ppt (1 of 4 samples); no individual limit; counted in EPA's PFAS mixture (hazard index) limit
NC0392050 · serves about 51,947 people · Surface water
✓ No health-based violations✓ Lead below detectionPFAS detected (8 types)
Lead 90th percentile: <DL (below the lab detection/reporting limit; reported as 0) (period starting 2026-01-01). Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).
PFOS: highest sample 12 ppt (4 of 4 samples); federal limit 4.0 ppt as a running annual average
PFPeA: highest sample 8.1 ppt (4 of 4 samples); no federal limit
PFHxA: highest sample 7.4 ppt (4 of 4 samples); no federal limit
PFBA: highest sample 7 ppt (2 of 4 samples); no federal limit
PFOA: highest sample 5.9 ppt (4 of 4 samples); federal limit 4.0 ppt as a running annual average
PFBS: highest sample 4.5 ppt (3 of 4 samples); no individual limit; counted in EPA's PFAS mixture (hazard index) limit
PFHpA: highest sample 3.4 ppt (2 of 4 samples); no federal limit
PFHxS: highest sample 3.2 ppt (2 of 4 samples); federal limit 10.0 ppt as a running annual average, also counted in EPA's PFAS mixture (hazard index) limit (currently in effect; EPA has proposed removing it)
NC0392055 · serves about 42,954 people · Surface water
✓ No health-based violations✓ Lead below detectionPFAS detected (9 types)
Lead 90th percentile: <DL (below the lab detection/reporting limit; reported as 0) (period starting 2026-01-01). Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).
PFPeA: highest sample 21 ppt (4 of 4 samples); no federal limit
PFHxA: highest sample 19 ppt (4 of 4 samples); no federal limit
PFBS: highest sample 15 ppt (3 of 4 samples); no individual limit; counted in EPA's PFAS mixture (hazard index) limit
PFBA: highest sample 13 ppt (4 of 4 samples); no federal limit
PFOA: highest sample 11 ppt (4 of 4 samples); federal limit 4.0 ppt as a running annual average
PFOS: highest sample 11 ppt (4 of 4 samples); federal limit 4.0 ppt as a running annual average
PFHpA: highest sample 7 ppt (3 of 4 samples); no federal limit
6:2 FTS: highest sample 5.9 ppt (1 of 4 samples); no federal limit
PFHxS: highest sample 4.4 ppt (2 of 4 samples); federal limit 10.0 ppt as a running annual average, also counted in EPA's PFAS mixture (hazard index) limit (currently in effect; EPA has proposed removing it)
NC0392373 · serves about 16,715 people · Groundwater
✓ No health-based violations✓ Lead below detectionPFAS detected (9 types)
Lead 90th percentile: <DL (below the lab detection/reporting limit; reported as 0) (period starting 2026-01-01). Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).
PFHxS: highest sample 152.6 ppt (28 of 216 samples); federal limit 10.0 ppt as a running annual average, also counted in EPA's PFAS mixture (hazard index) limit (currently in effect; EPA has proposed removing it)
PFPeA: highest sample 59.1 ppt (61 of 216 samples); no federal limit
PFHxA: highest sample 57.3 ppt (50 of 216 samples); no federal limit
PFBS: highest sample 39.6 ppt (46 of 216 samples); no individual limit; counted in EPA's PFAS mixture (hazard index) limit
PFPeS: highest sample 36.4 ppt (2 of 216 samples); no federal limit
PFOS: highest sample 21.3 ppt (16 of 216 samples); federal limit 4.0 ppt as a running annual average
PFBA: highest sample 17.8 ppt (8 of 216 samples); no federal limit
PFHpA: highest sample 13.7 ppt (11 of 216 samples); no federal limit
PFOA: highest sample 10.4 ppt (18 of 216 samples); federal limit 4.0 ppt as a running annual average
Public-record figures, not a test of your tap. Not 100% accurate or guaranteed. Confirm with a water test, your utility or a qualified pro before you buy or act.
A PFAS detection is not a violation. Federal limits (4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS) apply to running annual averages, with compliance required by 2029. In May 2026 EPA proposed extending the PFOA/PFOS deadline to 2031 and removing other PFAS limits; not final as of 2026-10-21.
Test your own tap
These are public records for whole systems. Your home's pipes, fixtures and any private well can change what you drink. A certified lab test or a hardness test strip gives you your own numbers. Then use our PFAS and lead filter selector to see which certifications to look for.
Common questions about Wake County water
Is tap water in Wake County safe to drink?
1 of the 6 largest systems here have at least one health-based violation in EPA records since October 2021 (see each system below for status). Raleigh, City of's most recent lead 90th percentile was below the lab detection limit (2023), below the 15 ppb action level. Public records can't guarantee what comes out of your tap, especially with older plumbing, so a home test is the surest check.
How hard is the water in Wake County?
Raleigh, City of reports about 1.5 grains per gallon (25 mg/L), which is soft. For a 3-person home at 1.5 gpg, our softener calculator suggests a 24,000 grain unit as a starting point.
Is there PFAS in Wake County water?
6 of the 6 sampled systems listed here detected at least one PFAS in EPA's UCMR 5 testing, and 8 results were above the level of a federal limit in at least one sample. A detection isn't a violation: federal PFAS limits apply to running annual averages starting in 2029.
Which water system serves my address in Wake County?
Most homes are served by Raleigh, City of or one of the other systems listed on this page, but service areas don't follow county lines. Your water bill names your provider, and its annual Consumer Confidence Report has the full test results.
Data as of October 21, 2026. Figures are copied from public records and combined with our own calculations; they can be out of date or wrong. Tapped Out isn't affiliated with any utility or the EPA. Written and reviewed by the Tapped Out team. How we calculate · All sources.