EPA ID NC0160010 · checked 16 Oct 2026
Charlotte tap water: what EPA testing found
Charlotte Water (EPA record: CHARLOTTE WATER) serves 1,206,285 people in NC from surface water.
What the data shows
PFAS found, below EPA’s limits (PFBA, PFPeA)
2 PFAS compounds reached EPA’s reporting level in at least one sample; no sampling point averaged above a limit.
What fits: Pick a filter whose listing certifies PFOA/PFOS (or total PFAS) reduction under NSF/ANSI 53 or 58. Under-sink reverse osmosis units and some carbon filters and pitchers carry it; the certification for the exact model is what counts, not the filter type.
Certified — IAPMO listing, checked 16 Oct 2026- Culligan with ZeroWater Technology 10 Cup PitcherPitcher filter · ZEROP10
- PUR PLUS Lead Reducing Pitcher & Dispenser Replacement FilterPitcher filter · PPF951K
- ZeroWater 5-Stage Replacement FilterPitcher filter · ZR-017
- Culligan Scout 2.25 Gallon Gravity Countertop System with MaxClear…Countertop dispenser · MCSP
- PUR Faucet Filtration System, VerticalFaucet-mount filter · FM-3333B
- PUR PLUS Faucet Filtration System – Horizontal, ChromeFaucet-mount filter · PFM400H
- AquaTru Classic Countertop Reverse Osmosis Water PurifierCountertop reverse osmosis · AT2000
- Aquasana Claryum Direct Connect Under Sink Water FilterUnder-sink filter · AQ-MF-1
- Culligan EZ-Change Under Sink Drinking Water Filtration SystemUnder-sink filter · US-EZ-4
- APEC Water Tankless RO System 4 Stage Water Filter, 1000 GPD Reverse…Under-sink reverse osmosis · ROTL-A1000
- Waterdrop 800 GPD Tankless Reverse Osmosis System - Waterdrop G3P800Under-sink reverse osmosis · WD-G3P800
- Waterdrop G3P600 Reverse Osmosis System - Waterdrop G3P600Under-sink reverse osmosis · WD-G3P600
Brand says certified — not found in IAPMO’s listing; check NSF- Aquasana Clean Water MachineCountertop dispenser · AQ-CWM2-B · check NSF’s listing yourself
- Aquasana Claryum 2-Stage Under Sink Water FilterUnder-sink filter · AQ-6200 · check NSF’s listing yourself
- Aquasana Claryum 3-Stage Max Flow Under Sink Water FilterUnder-sink filter · AQ-6300M · check NSF’s listing yourself
- Aquasana Claryum 3-Stage Under Sink Water FilterUnder-sink filter · AQ-6300 · check NSF’s listing yourself
- A. O. Smith High Efficiency Reverse Osmosis SystemUnder-sink reverse osmosis · AOS-HERO-CHR · check NSF’s listing yourself
- Aquasana SmartFlow Reverse Osmosis Water FilterUnder-sink reverse osmosis · AQ-SFRO2 · check NSF’s listing yourself
- Culligan Aquasential Smart Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water…Under-sink reverse osmosis · Aquasential Smart RO · check NSF’s listing yourself
- Waterdrop Instant Hot Water Dispenser, Reverse Osmosis System, K6Under-sink reverse osmosis · WD-K6-W · check NSF’s listing yourself
- Waterdrop X Series Reverse Osmosis System, X12Under-sink reverse osmosis · WD-X12 · check NSF’s listing yourself
- Aquasana HealthShield Whole House Water Filtration SystemWhole-house filter · WH-HS · check NSF’s listing yourself
NSF’s and WQA’s listings can’t be checked automatically; each product page also links to WQA’s.
Lead from home plumbing (not in this data)
UCMR 5 does not test for lead, and lead usually enters water from service lines and plumbing inside buildings. Your utility’s lead service line inventory says whether your address is served by a lead line.
What fits: Lead comes from lead service lines, solder and fixtures inside buildings, not usually from the treatment plant. Use a filter certified for lead reduction (NSF/ANSI 53 or 58) at the tap you drink from.
Certified — IAPMO listing, checked 16 Oct 2026- Brita Elite Replacement Filter, formerly Longlast+Pitcher filter · OB06
- Culligan with ZeroWater Technology 10 Cup PitcherPitcher filter · ZEROP10
- PUR PLUS Lead Reducing Pitcher & Dispenser Replacement FilterPitcher filter · PPF951K
- ZeroWater 5-Stage Replacement FilterPitcher filter · ZR-017
- Culligan Scout 2.25 Gallon Gravity Countertop System with MaxClear…Countertop dispenser · MCSP
- PUR Faucet Filtration System, VerticalFaucet-mount filter · FM-3333B
- PUR PLUS Faucet Filtration System – Horizontal, ChromeFaucet-mount filter · PFM400H
- AquaTru Classic Countertop Reverse Osmosis Water PurifierCountertop reverse osmosis · AT2000
- Aquasana Claryum Direct Connect Under Sink Water FilterUnder-sink filter · AQ-MF-1
- Culligan EZ-Change Under Sink Drinking Water Filtration SystemUnder-sink filter · US-EZ-4
- Waterdrop 800 GPD Tankless Reverse Osmosis System - Waterdrop G3P800Under-sink reverse osmosis · WD-G3P800
- Waterdrop G3P600 Reverse Osmosis System - Waterdrop G3P600Under-sink reverse osmosis · WD-G3P600
Brand says certified — not found in IAPMO’s listing; check NSF- LifeStraw Home 7-Cup Glass Water Filter PitcherPitcher filter · LSH7SPC101 · check NSF’s listing yourself
- Aquasana Clean Water MachineCountertop dispenser · AQ-CWM2-B · check NSF’s listing yourself
- Brita Elite Advanced Water Filter Faucet System with Brita…Faucet-mount filter · FF-100 · check NSF’s listing yourself
- Brita Hub Countertop Water Filter System with Brita Hub FilterCountertop filter · 87340 · check NSF’s listing yourself
- Aquasana Claryum 2-Stage Under Sink Water FilterUnder-sink filter · AQ-6200 · check NSF’s listing yourself
- Aquasana Claryum 3-Stage Max Flow Under Sink Water FilterUnder-sink filter · AQ-6300M · check NSF’s listing yourself
- Aquasana Claryum 3-Stage Under Sink Water FilterUnder-sink filter · AQ-6300 · check NSF’s listing yourself
- A. O. Smith High Efficiency Reverse Osmosis SystemUnder-sink reverse osmosis · AOS-HERO-CHR · check NSF’s listing yourself
- APEC Water Tankless RO System 4 Stage Water Filter, 1000 GPD Reverse…Under-sink reverse osmosis · ROTL-A1000 · check NSF’s listing yourself
- APEC Water Ultimate 5-Stage 90 GPD High Output Reverse Osmosis Water…Under-sink reverse osmosis · RO-90 · check NSF’s listing yourself
- Aquasana SmartFlow Reverse Osmosis Water FilterUnder-sink reverse osmosis · AQ-SFRO2 · check NSF’s listing yourself
- Culligan Aquasential Smart Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water…Under-sink reverse osmosis · Aquasential Smart RO · check NSF’s listing yourself
- iSpring RCC7AK, NSF Certified 75 GPD, Alkaline 6-Stage Reverse…Under-sink reverse osmosis · RCC7AK · check NSF’s listing yourself
- Waterdrop X Series Reverse Osmosis System, X12Under-sink reverse osmosis · WD-X12 · check NSF’s listing yourself
NSF’s and WQA’s listings can’t be checked automatically; each product page also links to WQA’s.
PFAS and lithium (EPA UCMR 5)
600 results from 5 sampling points, 8 Aug 2023 to 28 May 2024. Averages count results below EPA’s reporting level as zero, as the PFAS rule does. Every number links to EPA’s UCMR 5 Data Finder (search PWSID NC0160010). Limits: EPA PFAS rule.
| Contaminant | Detected in | Highest result | Average | EPA limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PFOA | 0 of 20 | not detected | 0 ng/L | 4 ng/L |
| PFOS | 0 of 20 | not detected | 0 ng/L | 4 ng/L |
| PFHxS | 0 of 20 | not detected | 0 ng/L | 10 ng/L* |
| PFNA | 0 of 20 | not detected | 0 ng/L | 10 ng/L* |
| HFPO-DA | 0 of 20 | not detected | 0 ng/L | 10 ng/L* |
| PFBA | 2 of 20 | 9.7 ng/L | 0.75 ng/L | none |
| PFPeA | 4 of 20 | 3.4 ng/L | 0.67 ng/L | none |
| Lithium | 0 of 20 | not detected | 0 µg/L | none (screening level 10 µg/L) |
* PFHxS, PFNA and HFPO-DA limits (and the PFAS hazard index) are in the rule, but EPA proposed on 20 May 2026 to rescind them; not final as of 16 Oct 2026. UCMR 5 results are screening data, not compliance results: compliance uses quarterly running averages from 2029. Source file: EPA UCMR 5 occurrence data (dated 15 Oct 2026).
Health-based violations since 2016
None in EPA’s SDWIS data.
Source: EPA SDWIS via Envirofacts and the ECHO report for NC0160010, retrieved 16 Oct 2026.
Hardness
1.9 grains per gallon (average, 2025), from the utility’s water report checked 16 Oct 2026. Size a softener for this water.
Places and ZIP codes served
Charlotte, Matthews, Davidson, Huntersville, Cornelius, Pineville.
28031 28035 28036 28070 28078 28104 28105 28106 28134 28201 28202 28204 28205 28206 28207 28208 28209 28210 28211 28212 28213 28214 28215 28216 28217 28218 28219 28220 28221 28222 28223 28224 28226 28227 28228 28229 28230 28231 28232 28233 28234 28235 28236 28237 28241 28242 28243 28244 28246 28247 28253 28254 28255 28256 28258 28260 28262 28263 28265 28266 28269 28270 28271 28272 28273 28274 28275 28277 28278 28280 28281 28282 28284 28285 28287 28288 28289 28290 28296 28297 28299
ZIP codes the system reported to EPA for UCMR 5; place names from GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). A ZIP code can be split between systems.