Is Asheville tap water safe to drink?

Yes with good quality

Asheville'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
1.2 GPG
Hardness
Not detected
PFAS

2 Issues Detected in Asheville

Moderate Chlorine Level

Chlorine within EPA limits but may affect taste.

Chlorine info for Asheville

Arsenic Approaching Limit (0.1 mg/L)

EPA limit is 0.010 mg/L.

Arsenic info for Asheville
North Carolina

288,012,880,328,805 · North Fork Reservoir

Asheville, NC Water Quality Report

Low Risk Updated March 2026 94,067 residents
See Best Filters for Asheville
82
Purity Score

Contaminant Levels

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

Health Insights

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

Score

82 /100
Good
"Good" threshold (70)

Asheville tap water is sourced from North Fork Reservoir and treated by City of Asheville Water Resources. Overall purity score: 82/100 (Good). Updated for 2026.

Fix Your Water

Best filters matched to Asheville's 2 issues.

See Filters

Explore Asheville Water Data

PFAS in AshevilleForever chemicals
Lead in AshevilleLead risk
Asheville Hard WaterHardness data
Best FiltersFull comparison
North CarolinaState rankings

Asheville Water FAQ

Is Asheville NC tap water safe to drink in 2026?
Asheville 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 Asheville NC use chlorine or chloramine for disinfection?
Asheville uses chloramine as the primary disinfectant with a residual level of 1.2 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 Asheville NC water and what is the TDS level?
Asheville water hardness is 1.2 grains per gallon (soft) with a TDS of 35 ppm (excellent). This level is unlikely to cause significant scale buildup in household plumbing.
Has PFAS been found in Asheville NC drinking water?
Based on available EPA UCMR5 monitoring data as of 2026 PFAS have not been detected above EPA advisory levels in Asheville drinking water.
What is the best water filter for Asheville?
Based on Asheville's water profile, we recommend the Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher. Asheville 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
  • City of Asheville Water Resources CCR
  • USGS monitoring data

PurityMap compiles public data. Updated March 2026.

© 2026 PurityMap. For informational purposes only.

Link copied!

Scroll to Top