Is Monroe, NC Tap Water Safe to Drink?
Short answer: In the records we hold for Monroe, no listed result is above a legal limit, but a health-based violation is on record (EPA SDWIS). 2 substances were detected and 29 were tested and not detected. The water is from City of Monroe, serving 43,081 residents.
- Year 2026
- Utility City of Monroe
- Coverage 32 records
- Updated 2026-10-15
Where Monroe’s water comes from
- Utility
- City of Monroe
- Water system
- MONROE, CITY OF · NC0190010
- Source water
- Surface water
- Disinfectant
- not on record
- Population served
- 43,081
- Reporting period
- Sampled 2023–2028
- Monitoring coverage
- 32 records · 3 of 4 groups measured
- Service lines
- 6,313 unknown material (EPA inventory, 2026Q2)
2 water systems report serving Monroe. This report uses MONROE, CITY OF. Your water bill names your actual supplier. Source: EPA SDWIS 2026Q2.
- MONROE, CITY OFThis reportNC0190010 · 43,081 served
- NC0190413 · 169,685 served
- 1Source
Surface water
- 2Treatment
The treatment details are not on record.
- 3Distribution
Mains, then your building’s service line.
- 4Your tap
Plumbing inside the building is outside this record.
Monroe water in four numbers
No measured result is above a legal limit; a past health-based violation (E. coli) is on record.
3 detected results
Each bar runs to the named reference; the tick marks it. Open a row for five layers: measured, compared, meaning, where it matters, what to do.Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS)Within reference · Screening level2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory (screening, not a legal limit)5.6ng/L
5.6 ng/L, sampled 2023-07-26 to 2024-03-11. EPA UCMR 5.
2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory (screening, not a legal limit).
Detected at up to 5.6 ng/L (below the 2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory; a screening level, not a legal limit).
Comes with the source water; home plumbing does not add it.
Test your own tap first. To reduce it: Reverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS (NSF/ANSI 53 or 58, with PFBS named on the listing).
E. coliAbove limit · Federal MCLFederal MCL—
Detected; the record gives no value, sampled 2025. EPA SDWIS violations.
Federal MCL: a legal limit.
Exceeded the federal E. coli limit, 2025 (Resolved).
Where it enters is not in this record.
Test your own tap first: a certified lab result shows what reaches your glass.
Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA)Detected · no limit · No federal limitNo federal or state limit; shown for transparency6.9ng/L
6.9 ng/L, sampled 2023-07-26 to 2024-03-11. EPA UCMR 5.
No federal limit is on record for it.
Detected at up to 6.9 ng/L. No federal or state limit exists for this substance; shown for transparency, not graded.
Comes with the source water; home plumbing does not add it.
Test your own tap first. To reduce it: Reverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS (NSF/ANSI 53 or 58, with PFBA named on the listing).
29 others tested, none detectedshow
- 11Cl-PF3OUdS
- 8:2 FTS
- 4:2 FTS
- 6:2 FTS
- ADONA
- 9Cl-PF3ONS
- HFPO-DA (GenX)
- Lead (90th percentile)
- Lithium
- NEtFOSAA
- NMeFOSAA
- NFDHA
- PFEESA
- PFMPA
- PFMBA
- PFDA
- PFDoA
- PFHpS
- PFHpA
- PFHxS
- PFHxA
- PFNA
- PFOS
- PFOA
- PFPeS
- PFPeA
- PFTA
- PFTrDA
- PFUnA
MONROE, CITY OF (EPA PWSID NC0190010) delivers surface water to 43,081 residents. This report reflects 29 individual PFAS result(s) from the source UCMR5 observations and the latest Lead & Copper Rule 90th-percentile result. Water hardness and disinfectant type are pending the utility's own annual report.
1health-based violation in the last 10 years
From EPA SDWIS. Counted once per contaminant per year, as in the Track record score.
No result is not a pass. Your utility's annual water quality report may list them, and a certified lab test covers your own tap.
Health-based violations, last 10 years
Every filing is listed; the Track record score counts at most one per contaminant per year.
- Revised Total Coliform Rule
Resolved
- Revised Total Coliform RuleMCL
to Resolved
Your tap can differ from the city record
The record describes water leaving treatment and samples across the system. Pipes, solder and fixtures inside a building can add lead the record can’t see, especially in older buildings with lead service lines.
Test your water- CityTreated water
Measured in this report
- MainsDistribution network
Sampled across the system
- BuildingService line and plumbing
Not in this record
- TapYour glass
Only a tap test measures it
Water testing in Monroe, NC
- 01Test
Know what comes from your tap, starting with a first-draw lead sample.
- 02Match
Compare each result with its named reference in our test reader.
- 03Treat
Choose a technology certified for what your test found.
How to test your tap water at home →
North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health certifies the labs that test drinking water in North Carolina. Find a certified lab in North Carolina ↗ · What lab tests cost →
What can reduce what was found here
Finding → technology → certification → product, in that order. The reference type carries the meaning; there is no severity score.| Finding | Reference type | Technology | Certification to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS)5.6 ng/L | Screening level | Reverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS | NSF/ANSI 53 or 58, with PFBS named on the listing |
| Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA)6.9 ng/L | No federal limit | Reverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS | NSF/ANSI 53 or 58, with PFBA named on the listing |
Filters for the PFAS found in Monroe water
Affiliate linksPurityMap earns a commission from these links. "Best choice" and "Budget pick" go to certified products first; commission never decides them. Affiliate disclosure★ Best available: Aquasana Claryum 3-Stage Max Flow Under-Sink Filter (AQ-6300M), the best fit here; nothing in this group is certified yet.
| Pick | Product | Details and price | Certification | Why it’s listed | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★ Best available | Under-sinkAquasana Claryum 3-Stage Max Flow Under-Sink Filter (AQ-6300M) | Price$$ | Not certified for Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) and Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) | See the evidence | Check price at Aquasana |
| Also good | CountertopAquasana Clean Water Machine Countertop Filter (AQ-CWM2) | Price$$ | Not certified for Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) and Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) | See the evidence | Check price at Aquasana |
| Also good | Reverse osmosisSmartFlow® Reverse Osmosis | TechnologyReverse osmosisPrice$$$ | Not certified for Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) and Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) | See the evidence | Check price at Aquasana |
See all 8 drinking-water options for PFAS
★ Best available: iSpring WGB32B-PFKS PFAS & Heavy Metals Whole House Filter, the best fit here; nothing in this group is certified yet.
| Pick | Product | Details and price | Certification | Why it’s listed | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★ Best available | Whole-houseiSpring WGB32B-PFKS PFAS & Heavy Metals Whole House FilterUse code REFISPRING at checkout: 10% off your first iSpring order. | Price$$$ | Brand lab-tested for PFAS, not independently certified for Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) and Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) | See the evidence | Check price at iSpring |
| Also good | Whole-houseHealthShield™ | Price$$$$ | Not certified for Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) and Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) | See the evidence | Check price at Aquasana |
PurityMap earns a commission from these links. "Best choice" and "Budget pick" go to certified products first; commission never decides them. Affiliate disclosure.
Choose your situation
Older buildings may have lead service lines, solder or fixtures. Monroe’s utility reported 6,313 service lines of unknown material in EPA’s inventory, so only a tap test tells you. Test first-draw water, then filter if needed.
2 of 29 PFAS tested were detected in Monroe’s record (PFBS 5.6 ng/L and PFBA 6.9 ng/L). If PFAS matters to you, a filter certification names each compound it covers.
Most utilities keep chlorine or chloramine in the pipes. A carbon filter certified for taste and odor reduces either; your utility can tell you which it uses.
Your utility’s annual water quality report usually lists hardness; a test strip also measures it.
Reverse osmosis reduces many dissolved contaminants, including lead and minerals, at a single faucet, with some water sent to drain.
Monroe tap water FAQ
Get one email when Monroe’s record changes.
One email when a new sampling round is published, a result moves above or below its reference, or the system's score changes.Is Monroe tap water safe to drink?
PurityMap does not give a safe/unsafe verdict; it shows what the public records measured. For Monroe, PFAS were detected below their limits, and PFBA 6.9 ng/L with no federal or state limit; one health-based violation is on record (E. coli). MONROE, CITY OF (PWSID NC0190010) has a Purity Score of 97/100 (confidence: moderate), assessed at the water-system level and computed only from contaminants that were measured. Water can change in your own pipes, so a certified test is the only way to know what comes out of your tap. What we found →
Who provides tap water in Monroe?
MONROE, CITY OF (PWS ID NC0190010) is the public water system on record for Monroe, North Carolina, serving about 43,081 people. Confirm the utility on your water bill before acting on a specific finding. Water utility →
Where does Monroe get its drinking water?
Surface water (primary source of record in EPA SDWIS). Water utility →
Are PFAS "forever chemicals" in Monroe's water?
In EPA's UCMR 5 testing (2023-07-26 to 2024-03-11), PFBS was detected at 5.6 ng/L, below the 2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory. PFBA (6.9 ng/L) was also detected; it has no federal or state limit. What we found →
Is there lead in Monroe's tap water?
Lead is not in Monroe's current published record. Lead usually enters from a building's own pipes and fixtures, so a certified home test is the way to know yours. Your household →
Has Monroe's water system had violations?
The federal SDWIS record lists a health-based violation for MONROE, CITY OF within about the last ten years: E. coli (2025). The findings above show each one's status. At a glance →
What does the latest Monroe water report show?
PurityMap's current record for Monroe holds 32 findings: 1 above a reference, 1 detected within the reference, 1 detected with no limit and 29 not detected. Each finding links to its dated public record; a parameter that was never monitored is shown as pending, not as a pass. Records →
32 records, each traceable
- EPA UCMR 5
- EPA SDWIS (Lead & Copper Rule)
- EPA SDWIS violations
| Contaminant | Measured | Reference | Sampled | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E. coli | Detected | Federal MCL | 2025 | EPA SDWIS violations ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) | 5.6 ng/L | 2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory (screening, not a legal limit) | 2023–2024 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) | 6.9 ng/L | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2023–2024 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| 11-Chloroeicosafluoro-3-oxaundecane-1-sulfonic acid (11Cl-PF3OUdS) | < 5 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2023–2024 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorodecane sulfonic acid (8:2 FTS) | < 5 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2023–2024 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (4:2 FTS) | < 3 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2023–2024 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (6:2 FTS) | < 5 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2023–2024 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| 4,8-Dioxa-3H-perfluorononanoic acid (ADONA) | < 3 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2023–2024 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| 9-Chlorohexadecafluoro-3-oxanone-1-sulfonic acid (9Cl-PF3ONS) | < 2 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2023–2024 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA) (GenX chemicals) | < 5 ng/L (not detected) | 10 ng/L federal MCL (2024) | 2023–2024 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Lead (90th percentile) | Not detected | 15 µg/L federal action level | 2026–2028 | EPA SDWIS (Lead & Copper Rule) ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Lithium | < 9 µg/L (not detected) | 10 µg/L EPA health reference level (screening, not a legal limit) | 2023–2024 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| N-ethyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (NEtFOSAA) | < 5 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2023–2024 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| N-methyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (NMeFOSAA) | < 6 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2023–2024 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Nonafluoro-3,6-dioxaheptanoic acid (NFDHA) | < 20 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2023–2024 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluoro (2-ethoxyethane) sulfonic acid (PFEESA) | < 3 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2023–2024 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluoro-3-methoxypropanoic acid (PFMPA) | < 4 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2023–2024 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluoro-4-methoxybutanoic acid (PFMBA) | < 3 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2023–2024 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) | < 3 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2023–2024 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA) | < 3 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2023–2024 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid (PFHpS) | < 3 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2023–2024 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA) | < 3 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2023–2024 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) | < 3 ng/L (not detected) | 10 ng/L federal MCL (2024) | 2023–2024 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) | < 3 ng/L (not detected) | 400,000 ng/L Michigan EGLE state MCL (strictest US state) | 2023–2024 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) | < 4 ng/L (not detected) | 10 ng/L federal MCL (2024) | 2023–2024 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) | < 4 ng/L (not detected) | 4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024) | 2023–2024 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) | < 4 ng/L (not detected) | 4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024) | 2023–2024 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluoropentanesulfonic acid (PFPeS) | < 4 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2023–2024 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA) | < 3 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2023–2024 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluorotetradecanoic acid (PFTA) | < 8 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2023–2024 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA) | < 7 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2023–2024 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnA) | < 2 ng/L (not detected) | No federal or state limit; shown for transparency | 2023–2024 | EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
UCMR5 Analytical Results
UCMR5 Analytical Results: MONROE, CITY OF (NC0190010)
US EPA
State SDWIS Compliance Record
Lead & Copper Rule 90th-percentile: MONROE, CITY OF (NC0190010)
US EPA SDWIS
State SDWIS Compliance Record
EPA SDWIS Violations & Enforcement: MONROE, CITY OF (NC0190010)
US EPA SDWIS
Methodology: how we analyze water. Prepared with AI assistance and reviewed by the PurityMap Editorial Team before publication.
How PurityMap reads Monroe’s water
- 01Source data
EPA SDWIS, EPA UCMR 5 and utility reports, each dated and linked.
- 02Normalize
Units converted to one basis; a non-detect kept distinct from zero.
- 03Classify
Each result tagged by reference type: MCL, action level, screening level or aesthetic.
- 04Compare to the named reference
Every value sits against its own reference, never a blended one.
- 05Score
Measured subjects summarised at the water-system level; an open health-based violation caps the score.
- 06Match treatment
Treatment is matched to what was found; a product is called certified only when its current certification names it.
What the Purity Score means: a summary of this water system’s published record, capped while a health-based violation is open. It is not a test of any tap. MONROE, CITY OF · PWSID NC0190010 · Purity Score 97/100 (Excellent) · Confidence: moderate · Assessed at the water-system level
Full methodology →Something off with your water's smell, color or taste?
Start with the hot-or-cold tap check. Where City of Monroe reported something related, it's shown below.
- Rotten-egg smell
- Cloudy or milky water
- Chlorine smell
- Brown or yellow water
- Metallic taste
Lead at City of Monroe: not detected (90th percentile, 2026–2028 monitoring period (still open)). Lead has no taste, so a taste neither shows nor rules it out.