Raleigh Water Quality Report
See where Raleigh drinking water comes from, how it is treated, what the latest 2025 Consumer Confidence Report found, and where to review the complete official report.
What Raleigh's Latest Water Report Covers
Raleigh Water's 2025 Consumer Confidence Report summarizes drinking-water testing performed from January 1 through December 31, 2025, except where a table notes a different sampling date or schedule. It covers source water, regulated substances, lead and copper, secondary substances, unregulated substances, and other drinking-water information.
Important distinction: A Consumer Confidence Report summarizes public-system monitoring and compliance. It does not test an individual home's faucet, private plumbing, fixtures or private well.
Where Raleigh Tap Water Comes From
Most Raleigh drinking water comes from Falls Lake in northern Wake County and is treated at the E.M. Johnson Water Treatment Plant. Lake Benson in Garner is the secondary source and is treated at the Dempsey E. Benton Water Treatment Plant.
At the Dempsey E. Benton plant, Raleigh Water describes a treatment process that begins with ozone, followed by coagulation with ferric sulfate, clarification, two-stage filtration, ultraviolet disinfection and chloramination before treated water enters storage and distribution. Raleigh Water normally uses chloramine in the distribution system and temporarily switches to chlorine-only disinfection each year around late February through early April.
View the 2025 Raleigh Water Quality Report
The embedded document below is Raleigh Water's Annual Water Quality Report for reporting year 2025. It contains the complete utility tables, definitions, source-water information, lead guidance and health information.
Highlights From Raleigh's Official Water-Quality Data
Raleigh Water reports no violations for the regulated substances, lead, copper, pH and sulfate values shown below. The table highlights selected results from the 2025 report; the embedded PDF remains the complete official source.
| Substance or Measure | Reported Result | Standard or Context | Report Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chloramines | 2.80 ppm | MRDL 4 ppm | No violation |
| Chlorine | 2.26 ppm | MRDL 4 ppm | No violation |
| Fluoride | 0.71 ppm | MCL 4 ppm | No violation |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 22.0 ppb | MCL 60 ppb | No violation |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) | 34.2 ppb | MCL 80 ppb | No violation |
| Lead | ND at the 90th percentile | Action Level 15 ppb; 0 of 85 sites above AL | No violation |
| Copper | 0.04 ppm at the 90th percentile | Action Level 1.3 ppm; 0 of 85 sites above AL | No violation |
| Total Hardness as CaCO3 | 25.2 ppm | Unregulated reporting parameter; range 21.9–35.3 ppm | Reported value |
| pH | 8.40 | Secondary range 6.5–8.5 | No violation |
| Sodium | 24.3 ppm | Unregulated substance; sampled 1/9/2025 | Reported value |
ND means not detected by laboratory analysis. MCL means Maximum Contaminant Level. MRDL means Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level. AL means Action Level.
What These Raleigh Water Results Mean at Home
Disinfectants and Byproducts
Raleigh's 2025 report lists both chloramines and chlorine because the utility uses disinfectants to control microbes and periodically changes its disinfection approach. HAA5 and TTHMs are regulated byproducts that can form when disinfectants react with naturally occurring material in source water.
- Chloramines reported at 2.80 ppm
- Chlorine reported at 2.26 ppm
- HAA5 reported at 22.0 ppb
- TTHMs reported at 34.2 ppb
Hardness and pH
The report lists total hardness at 25.2 ppm as CaCO3 and pH at 8.40. Hardness is reported as an unregulated parameter, while pH appears under secondary substances. These numbers describe utility monitoring, not the exact conditions at every household faucet.
- Hardness range: 21.9–35.3 ppm as CaCO3
- pH range: 8.30–8.45
- In-home plumbing and household preferences can still affect how water feels, tastes or behaves
Lead and Household Plumbing
The 2025 lead result was not detected at the 90th percentile, and none of the 85 sampled sites exceeded the lead action level. Raleigh Water also explains that lead in drinking water can come from household plumbing materials, solder or fixtures, so a system-wide result cannot determine the condition of one home's plumbing.
- Lead: ND at the 90th percentile
- Lead sample range: ND–4 ppb
- 0 of 85 sampled sites above the lead action level
PFAS Monitoring
Raleigh's 2025 report directs residents to the city's PFAS information page for voluntary PFAS testing and FAQs. Raleigh Water states that it has monitored PFAS since 2013 and publishes current testing data separately from the annual Consumer Confidence Report.
- PFAS results are published on a separate Raleigh Water resource
- Raleigh Water says it is optimizing existing treatment and evaluating additional treatment technologies
- Use the current city PFAS data for PFAS-specific results rather than relying on older annual-report pages
Explore the Water Question You Want to Solve
The annual city report is the best starting point for understanding Raleigh's public drinking-water system. For household concerns, use the Raleigh resource that matches what you want to investigate or improve.
Water Problems
Review Raleigh contaminants, disinfectants and other local water-quality concerns in more detail.
Explore Raleigh water problems →Reverse Osmosis
Learn about highly filtered drinking and cooking water from a dedicated point-of-use system.
Explore Raleigh reverse osmosis →Water Conditioners
Compare whole-home conditioning options for hardness, scale, spotting and supported disinfectant reduction.
Explore Raleigh water conditioners →PFAS Water Filters
Compare whole-home PFAS filtration and reverse osmosis drinking-water treatment for PFAS-focused goals.
Explore Raleigh PFAS filtration →Well Water Treatment
Explore treatment for iron, sulfur odor, acidity and other private-well conditions separately from Raleigh municipal water.
Explore Raleigh well-water treatment →Free Water Test
Schedule an in-home evaluation for hardness, chlorine, pH and other common household water conditions.
Schedule a Raleigh free water test →Raleigh Water Quality Report FAQs
What year does the Raleigh 2025 Water Quality Report cover?
The report presents drinking-water data for reporting year 2025. Unless otherwise noted, its testing tables use samples collected from January 1 through December 31, 2025.
Where does Raleigh drinking water come from?
Raleigh's primary source is Falls Lake in northern Wake County, treated at the E.M. Johnson Water Treatment Plant. Lake Benson in Garner is the secondary source and is treated at the Dempsey E. Benton Water Treatment Plant.
Does Raleigh use chloramine?
Yes. Raleigh Water uses chloramine for distribution-system disinfection and typically switches to chlorine-only disinfection for a seasonal period around late February through early April.
How hard is Raleigh water in the 2025 report?
The 2025 report lists total hardness at 25.2 ppm as CaCO3, with a reported range of 21.9 to 35.3 ppm. The report classifies hardness as an unregulated reporting parameter.
What did Raleigh report for lead in 2025?
Lead was not detected at the 90th percentile, the sample range was ND to 4 ppb, and none of the 85 sampled sites exceeded the lead action level. Household plumbing can still affect lead at an individual faucet.
Where can I find Raleigh PFAS results?
Raleigh Water publishes PFAS data and information on a separate city webpage. The 2025 Consumer Confidence Report points residents to that resource for PFAS results and FAQs.
Does the city report test the water inside my house?
No. The report summarizes public-system monitoring. It does not test an individual home's faucet, private plumbing, fixtures or private well.
How can I test water at my Raleigh home?
East Coast Water Quality offers a free in-home evaluation for hardness, chlorine, pH and other common household water conditions. Specialized laboratory testing may be required for contaminants that cannot be measured through an in-home screening.
Have Questions About Water at Your Raleigh Home?
Schedule a free in-home water evaluation to explore hardness, disinfectant levels, pH and the treatment goals that matter at your property.
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