Concern carried to Treatment and Products
Wilmington, NC · Lead

Is There Lead in Wilmington Tap Water?

Lead was not detected in Wilmington’s latest sampling.

  • CFPUA-WILMINGTON · PWSID NC0465010
  • Purity Score 100 · Excellent
  • Confidence: moderate
Lead service lines in Wilmington
0lead lines of 72,785 in EPA’s inventory (2026Q2)
  • Lead0
  • Galvanized, to replace0
  • Unknown material0
  • Not lead72,785
Ask the utility whether your service line has been identified.
How Wilmington compares2,485 cities have a detected lead valueWilmington's lead result was below the lab's reporting limit, so it is not plotted. 2,485 cities detected lead; 1,258 more were below the reporting limit and aren’t plotted. A position here is not a verdict on the water.
Test first

Plumbing inside a home can add lead the record can’t show.

A tap test tells you what reaches your glass. If lead is a concern, these carry a lead reduction claim:

How to test your tap

Test your own tap

Screening tells you if something is worth a closer look; a lab result is the number you can act on.

As an Amazon Associate, PurityMap earns from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure.

  • Screening: quick check, not lab-grade

    Safe Home DIY Lead in Drinking Water Combo Test Kit

    Safe Home (EnviroTestKits)

    Lead, read as one of three ranges: 0–4, 5–15 or 15+ ppb

    • Turnaround: 5 minutes

    What it can't tell you: It shows a lead range, not an exact level, and tests nothing else unless you pay extra for the optional lab test.

  • Lab-certified results

    ETR Labs Basic Water Quality Test Kit

    ETR Laboratories

    50+ substances, including lead, copper, arsenic, nitrate, hardness and coliform bacteria

    What it can't tell you: It does not test PFAS, and not every result on the panel falls under the lab's accredited scope.

Commercial

Products for lead

Lead isn't a concern in Wilmington’s record, so no product is matched here. Open one to see what its certification covers.

As an Amazon Associate, PurityMap earns from qualifying purchases. A product appears here only when a current certification record covers at least one identified concern; every concern stays listed. The retail offer is looked up afterwards and never changes which products appear or their order. Affiliate disclosure.

Results as a table1 result with limit, status, sample date and source
Lead results for CFPUA-WILMINGTON (PWSID NC0465010), Wilmington, NC
ContaminantResultLimitStatusSampledSource
Lead (90th percentile)Non-Detect (ND)15 µg/L federal action levelNot detected above the reporting limit2026–2028 monitoring period (still open)Lead & Copper Rule 90th-percentile: CFPUA-WILMINGTON (NC0465010)
Questions

Frequently asked

Sources
UCMR5 Analytical Results: CFPUA-WILMINGTON (NC0465010)US EPA · 2026-01-15
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Lead & Copper Rule 90th-percentile: CFPUA-WILMINGTON (NC0465010)US EPA SDWIS · 2026-07-09
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Cape Fear Public Utility Authority — CFPUA-Wilmington Water System 2025 Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)Cape Fear Public Utility Authority — CFPUA-Wilmington Water System · 2025-01-01
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Does Wilmington have lead service lines?

In EPA's service line inventory (2026Q2), CFPUA-WILMINGTON reported 0 lead service lines, 0 galvanized lines requiring replacement and 0 of unknown material, out of 72,785 lines in total.

How do I know if my home has a lead service line?

Ask CFPUA-WILMINGTON whether your address appears in its service line inventory, which utilities must publish. You can also look where the water pipe enters your home: lead pipe is dull grey, soft, and shows shiny metal when scratched gently.

How do I reduce lead in my water?

Run the cold tap for a few minutes after water has sat for hours, use only cold water for drinking and cooking, and use a filter certified to NSF/ANSI 53 for lead reduction. Replacing a lead service line removes the main source.