Lenoir County, NC
drinking water quality

55,332 residents · 9 public water systems · 5 ZIP codes

Worst PFAS result on federal record
2.9× the federal limit

EPA sampled 3 of 9 public water systems here, together serving about 57,165 people. The highest reading was PFOS at 11.5 ng/L at Deep Run Water Corporation. 3 of the sampled systems were above a federal limit. Last sampled 9/25/2023.

What was found

CompoundHighest resultFederal limitRatio
PFOS11.5 ng/L4 ng/L2.9×
PFOA7 ng/L4 ng/L1.8×
PFHxS6 ng/L10 ng/L0.6×

Also detected, with no federal limit set: PFPeA (6.5 ng/L), PFHxA (6.2 ng/L), PFBA (6 ng/L), PFBS (4.4 ng/L).

What this means

PFAS are industrial chemicals that EPA describes as breaking down only very slowly in the environment. In April 2024 EPA set the first enforceable national limits: 4 ng/L for PFOA and PFOS, 10 ng/L for PFHxS, PFNA and GenX.

These figures are county-level and come from EPA’s sampling of public water systems. They describe the worst result found in the county, not what comes out of any particular tap — that depends on which system serves the address, and on the plumbing in the building. A private well is not covered by this programme at all.

Find out what is in your own tap

This is a county-level reading from federal monitoring. What comes out of your own tap depends on your system — and on your home.

Orca Blue Water is the water treatment provider listed for Lenoir County.

ZIP codes in Lenoir County

28501 · 28504 · 28525 · 28551 · 28572

Readings are county-level, so every ZIP here shares the figure above. Search your ZIP on the map to see it in context.

Other North Carolina counties