Wilmington NC Water Quality Report
Explore Wilmington's drinking-water sources, 2025 testing results, PFAS monitoring, lead and copper data, hardness, pH, disinfectant information, and the latest Cape Fear Public Utility Authority Drinking Water Quality Report.
What the Latest Wilmington Water Quality Report Covers
Cape Fear Public Utility Authority's 2025 Drinking Water Quality Report summarizes testing performed primarily from January 1 through December 31, 2025 for the CFPUA-Wilmington Water System. It covers source water, treatment, regulated contaminants, lead and copper, disinfection byproducts, PFAS monitoring and other water-quality characteristics.
Utility conclusion: CFPUA reports that its drinking water continued to meet or exceed federal and North Carolina regulatory standards during the 2025 testing period.
Where Wilmington Tap Water Comes From
The CFPUA-Wilmington Water System uses both surface water and groundwater. The Sweeney Water Treatment Plant draws from the Cape Fear River, while the Richardson Water Treatment Plant uses groundwater from the Castle Hayne and PeeDee aquifers. Groundwater wells in the former Monterey Heights system were also integrated into the larger Wilmington system during 2025.
View the 2025 Wilmington Water Quality Report
The embedded document below is Cape Fear Public Utility Authority's 2025 Drinking Water Quality Report. Wilmington-specific results for Public Water System ID 04-65-010 begin on page 14.
Highlights From Wilmington's Official Water-Quality Data
CFPUA reports that the Wilmington system met the applicable federal and state standards covered by the report. The table below highlights selected municipal-water results; the embedded PDF remains the complete official source for ranges, definitions, footnotes and compliance information.
| Substance or Measure | Wilmington Reported Result | Standard or Context | Report Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fluoride | Highest compliance result 0.77 ppm | MCL 4 ppm | No violation reported |
| Chlorine | Running annual average 1.16 ppm | MRDL 4 ppm | No violation reported |
| Bromate | Annual sampling average 0.11 ppb | MCL 10 ppb | No violation reported |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Highest LRAA 30.6 ppb | MCL 80 ppb | No violation reported |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Highest LRAA 22.7 ppb | MCL 60 ppb | No violation reported |
| Lead | 90th percentile <3 ppb | Action level 15 ppb | 0 sites above action level |
| Copper | 90th percentile 0.220 ppm | Action level 1.3 ppm | 0 sites above action level |
| Hardness | Average 50 ppm | 39–62 ppm measured range | Water characteristic |
| pH | Highest compliance result 7.5 | 7.3–7.5 measured range | Secondary water characteristic |
Lead and copper values in the 2025 report use the most recent tap sampling data shown there, which was collected in 2023. Some regulatory monitoring is performed less often than once per year when allowed by EPA and the State.
PFAS Results Reported for the Wilmington System
CFPUA's 2025 report includes unregulated PFAS monitoring for the Sweeney and Richardson treatment plants and former Monterey Heights wells. Results are reported in parts per trillion and vary by compound and sampling location.
| PFAS Compound | 2025 Average | Reported Range | Reporting Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFOA | 0.03 ppt | ND–1.45 ppt | Unregulated monitoring table |
| GenX | 0.10 ppt | ND–1.27 ppt | Unregulated monitoring table |
| PFHxS | 0.06 ppt | ND–3.87 ppt | Unregulated monitoring table |
| PFBA | 1.08 ppt | ND–4.18 ppt | Unregulated monitoring table |
| PFPrA | 21.1 ppt | ND–65.0 ppt | Unregulated monitoring table |
| PFMOAA | 3.06 ppt | ND–11.6 ppt | Unregulated monitoring table |
How treatment fits in: CFPUA uses granular activated carbon at the Sweeney plant to treat Cape Fear River water for PFAS, while the Richardson plant uses low-pressure reverse-osmosis membranes for groundwater treatment. A utility monitoring result does not tell you the exact PFAS concentration at one individual household faucet.
What Else Stands Out in Wilmington's 2025 Report?
Broad Routine Monitoring
CFPUA states that it routinely monitors for more than 150 potential contaminants and runs thousands of samples each month across its drinking-water system.
Multiple Treatment Barriers
Sweeney uses ozone, biological filtration, granular activated carbon and ultraviolet disinfection. Richardson uses low-pressure reverse-osmosis membranes and mineral and pH adjustment.
Monterey Heights Integration
The former Monterey Heights Water System was integrated into the larger CFPUA-Wilmington Water System effective October 1, 2025, changing how those customers are represented in future reports.
Lead results depend partly on household plumbing
CFPUA explains that lead in drinking water is primarily associated with service lines and home plumbing materials. The Wilmington system's most recent lead table shows a 90th-percentile result below 3 ppb and zero sampled sites above the 15 ppb action level, but conditions can still differ from one property to another.
What the Wilmington Water Quality Report Does—and Does Not—Tell You
The Consumer Confidence Report explains Wilmington's municipal water sources, treatment, monitoring and regulatory results. It does not provide a complete diagnosis of water at every individual property.
What the Report Tells You
- Where Wilmington's municipal drinking water comes from.
- How CFPUA treats surface water and groundwater.
- Which regulated and selected unregulated substances were reported.
- How reported values compare with regulatory limits where applicable.
- System-wide information about lead, copper, PFAS, hardness, pH and disinfection byproducts.
What It May Not Tell You About Your Home
- Conditions introduced by an individual service line, household plumbing or fixtures.
- How water tastes, smells or feels at a specific property.
- Whether a household wants additional treatment for drinking-water or whole-home goals.
- What is present in a private well, which is separate from CFPUA municipal water.
- Which treatment system best fits a particular household concern.
Explore Local Water Treatment Options
Continue with the Wilmington page that best matches your household concern or treatment goal.
Water Problems
Review local contaminant data, household concerns and treatment options.
Explore water problems →Reverse Osmosis
Learn about highly filtered drinking and cooking water at a dedicated faucet.
Explore reverse osmosis →Water Conditioners
Explore whole-home treatment for hardness, scale, spotting and other conditioning goals.
Explore water conditioners →PFAS Water Filters
Compare whole-home PFAS filtration and reverse-osmosis drinking-water treatment.
Explore PFAS filtration →Well Water Treatment
Explore treatment for iron, sulfur odor, acidity and other private-well conditions.
Explore well-water treatment →Free Water Test
Schedule an in-home evaluation for common household water concerns.
Schedule a free water test →Wilmington Water Quality Report FAQs
What year does Wilmington's latest Water Quality Report cover?
CFPUA's 2025 Drinking Water Quality Report presents Wilmington-system data primarily from testing performed January 1 through December 31, 2025. Some values, including the most recent lead and copper tap sampling shown in the report, are from earlier required monitoring periods.
Where does Wilmington drinking water come from?
The CFPUA-Wilmington Water System uses Cape Fear River surface water treated at the Sweeney Water Treatment Plant and groundwater from the Castle Hayne and PeeDee aquifers treated at the Richardson Water Treatment Plant. The larger system also includes groundwater sources associated with the former Monterey Heights system.
Did Wilmington water meet drinking-water standards in 2025?
CFPUA states that its drinking water continued to meet or exceed federal and North Carolina regulatory standards during the 2025 testing period.
Is Wilmington water hard?
The 2025 report lists an average hardness of 50 ppm for the CFPUA-Wilmington system, with a measured range of 39 to 62 ppm. That is approximately 2.3 to 3.6 grains per gallon across the reported range.
Does Wilmington water contain chlorine?
Yes. The Wilmington system reports a chlorine running annual average of 1.16 ppm, with a range of 0.40 to 2.46 ppm. CFPUA also uses ozone and ultraviolet treatment at Sweeney, and adds sodium hypochlorite before finished water leaves its treatment plants for distribution.
Were PFAS detected in Wilmington water in 2025?
Yes. CFPUA's 2025 report lists detections of several PFAS compounds in monitoring associated with the Sweeney and Richardson plants and former Monterey Heights wells. The reported concentrations vary by compound, and the report lists non-detects within many of the sampling ranges.
Does the city report test the water inside my house?
The report summarizes public-system monitoring and includes some required tap sampling, such as lead and copper monitoring, but it does not provide a complete analysis of water at every individual Wilmington property.
How can I evaluate the water at my Wilmington home?
East Coast Water Quality offers a free in-home evaluation for common water conditions and treatment goals. Specialized contaminants such as PFAS, lead and bacteria require appropriate laboratory testing when a definitive contaminant result is needed.
Have Questions About Water at Your Wilmington Home?
Schedule a free in-home water evaluation to discuss hardness, taste, odor and the treatment goals that matter at your property.
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