Is Cary tap water safe to drink?

Yes with good quality

Cary's tap water meets all EPA standards and scores well on our analysis. It is generally safe to drink though filtration can improve taste and provide extra precaution.

82/100
Purity Score
2
Issues Found
1.8 GPG
Hardness
Not detected
PFAS

2 Issues Detected in Cary

Moderate Chlorine Level

Chlorine within EPA limits but may affect taste.

Chlorine info for Cary

Arsenic Approaching Limit (0.1 mg/L)

EPA limit is 0.010 mg/L.

Arsenic info for Cary
North Carolina

275,112,751,327,518 · Jordan Lake and Cape Fear River

Cary, NC Water Quality Report

Low Risk Updated March 2026 174,721 residents
See Best Filters for Cary
82
Purity Score

Contaminant Levels

PFAS
ND
Lead
1.8 ppb
Nitrate
0.4 mg/L
Arsenic
0.1 mg/L
Hardness
1.8 gpg

Health Insights

  • 1
    Chlorine levels may affect the taste of Cary's tap water. A carbon filter improves flavor.

Score

82 /100
Good
"Good" threshold (70)

Cary tap water is sourced from Jordan Lake and Cape Fear River and treated by Town of Cary Public Works. Overall purity score: 82/100 (Good). Updated for 2026.

Fix Your Water

Best filters matched to Cary's 2 issues.

See Filters

Explore Cary Water Data

PFAS in CaryForever chemicals
Lead in CaryLead risk
Cary Hard WaterHardness data
Best FiltersFull comparison
North CarolinaState rankings

Cary Water FAQ

Is Cary NC tap water safe to drink in 2026?
Cary tap water meets EPA federal drinking water standards and scores 82/100 (Good) on PurityMap for 2026. For most healthy adults the water is considered safe but point-of-use filtration adds an important layer of protection.
Does Cary NC use chlorine or chloramine for disinfection?
Cary uses chloramine as the primary disinfectant with a residual level of 1.3 ppm. Chloramine is harder to remove than free chlorine and requires a catalytic carbon or reverse osmosis filter. Standard Brita-style pitchers will NOT remove chloramine.
How hard is Cary NC water and what is the TDS level?
Cary water hardness is 1.8 grains per gallon (soft) with a TDS of 55 ppm (good). This level is unlikely to cause significant scale buildup in household plumbing.
Has PFAS been found in Cary NC drinking water?
Based on available EPA UCMR5 monitoring data as of 2026 PFAS have not been detected above EPA advisory levels in Cary drinking water.
What is the best water filter for Cary?
Based on Cary's water profile, we recommend the Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher. Cary has elevated chlorine residuals. An under-sink carbon filter removes chlorine and disinfection byproducts at the tap.

Nearby Reports

WilmingtonNorth Carolina — 62/100CharlotteNorth Carolina — 67/100FayettevilleNorth Carolina — 67/100RaleighNorth Carolina — 82/100GreensboroNorth Carolina — 82/100DurhamNorth Carolina — 82/100

All North Carolina cities

Explore Water Quality by State

Compare across all 50 US states

View All States

Data Sources

  • EPA SDWIS
  • EWG Tap Water Database
  • Town of Cary Public Works CCR
  • USGS monitoring data

PurityMap compiles public data. Updated March 2026.

© 2026 PurityMap. For informational purposes only.

Link copied!

Scroll to Top