What was found in Burlington's water
The level at the city's main supplier, the highest level anywhere in the city, the EPA limit for each, and where every figure comes from.
| Contaminant | Level vs EPA limit | Suppliers | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate | 5310 µg/L 53% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Highest in the city: KIRBY`S MHP · 60 people · 2019 | 6/9 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 5212.5 µg/L 52% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Highest in the city: KIRBY`S MHP · 60 people · 2019 | 2/9 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 702.5 µg/L 18% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: BURLINGTON, CITY OF · 61,365 people · 2019 | 5/9 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 97.4 µg/L 7.5% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: BURLINGTON, CITY OF · 61,365 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 572.7 µg/L — KIRBY`S MHP · 60 people · 2019 | 9/9 | SYR4 |
| Cyanide | 146.005 µg/L 73% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L Main supplier: BURLINGTON, CITY OF · 61,365 people · 2019 | 1/9 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 70 µg/L 88% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: BURLINGTON, CITY OF · 61,365 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 89.75 µg/L — VILLAGE OF ALAMANCE · 1,200 people · 2019 | 4/9 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 59.279 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BURLINGTON, CITY OF · 61,365 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 74.85 µg/L — VILLAGE OF ALAMANCE · 1,200 people · 2019 | 2/9 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 65.35 µg/L 109% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 60 µg/L Main supplier: BURLINGTON, CITY OF · 61,365 people · 2019 | 5/9 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 47 µg/L 2.4% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Highest in the city: PARK PLACE · 99 people · 2019 | 2/9 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 28.7 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BURLINGTON, CITY OF · 61,365 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 34.3 µg/L — VILLAGE OF ALAMANCE · 1,200 people · 2019 | 2/9 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 29.1 µg/L 194% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 15 µg/L Main supplier: BURLINGTON, CITY OF · 61,365 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 31.1 µg/L — VILLAGE OF ALAMANCE · 1,200 people · 2019 | 7/9 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 31 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BURLINGTON, CITY OF · 61,365 people · 2019 | 4/9 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 8 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BURLINGTON, CITY OF · 61,365 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 17 µg/L — VILLAGE OF ALAMANCE · 1,200 people · 2019 | 2/9 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 11 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BURLINGTON, CITY OF · 61,365 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 11.15 µg/L — VILLAGE OF ALAMANCE · 1,200 people · 2019 | 3/9 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 8.65 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BURLINGTON, CITY OF · 61,365 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 10.2 µg/L — VILLAGE OF ALAMANCE · 1,200 people · 2019 | 3/9 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 9.4 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BURLINGTON, CITY OF · 61,365 people · 2019 | 3/9 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 6 µg/L 60% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Main supplier: BURLINGTON, CITY OF · 61,365 people · 2019 | 1/9 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 3 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BURLINGTON, CITY OF · 61,365 people · 2019 | 3/9 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 2.8 pCi/L 56% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Highest in the city: CARRIAGE WAY S/D · 51 people · 2019 | 1/9 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 2.6 µg/L 5.2% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Highest in the city: PARK PLACE · 99 people · 2019 | 1/9 | SYR4 |
| Xylenes, Total | 2.455 µg/L 0% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Highest in the city: SELLARS MOBILE HOME PARK · 48 people · 2019 | 1/9 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 2.01 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: FOREST VALLEY MHP · 117 people · 2019 | 1/9 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 1.9817 µg/L 6.6% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L Highest in the city: FOREST VALLEY MHP · 117 people · 2014 | 1/9 | SYR4 |
| PFOS | 0.0170 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BURLINGTON, CITY OF · 61,365 people · 2025 | 1/9 | UCMR-5 |
| PFOA | 0.0130 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BURLINGTON, CITY OF · 61,365 people · 2025 | 1/9 | UCMR-5 |
| 6:2 Fts | 0.0097 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BURLINGTON, CITY OF · 61,365 people · 2025 | 1/9 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfhxa | 0.0044 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BURLINGTON, CITY OF · 61,365 people · 2025 | 1/9 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfhpa | 0.0042 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BURLINGTON, CITY OF · 61,365 people · 2025 | 1/9 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfpea | 0.0041 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BURLINGTON, CITY OF · 61,365 people · 2025 | 1/9 | UCMR-5 |
| PFHXS | 0.0032 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BURLINGTON, CITY OF · 61,365 people · 2025 | 1/9 | UCMR-5 |
| Lead | 0.0 mg/L 0% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: BURLINGTON, CITY OF · 61,365 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 0.0030 mg/L — RUSSETTE MEADOWS MHP · 65 people · 2025 | 8/9 | LCR |
Each bar shows the measured level as a share of the EPA limit: green is
well under, amber is close to it, red is over. For lead and copper the
limit applies to exactly the 90th-percentile figure shown, so red there
means a real exceedance. For everything else the limit applies to a
running annual average while the figure is the 95th percentile of the
system's samples — over 100% is worth reading, but is not by itself a
violation.
Formal violations are listed separately.
These are the utilities' own EPA-reported results, not a city-wide
average. A detection means the lab measured the
substance — it isn't the same as exceeding a legal limit. Hover a source
tag to see the EPA program and years behind each figure.
Water suppliers serving Burlington
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| BURLINGTON, CITY OF | 61,365 |
| VILLAGE OF ALAMANCE | 1,200 |
| FOREST VALLEY MHP | 117 |
| PARK PLACE | 99 |
| ROBBEN MH COURT | 75 |
| RUSSETTE MEADOWS MHP | 65 |
| KIRBY`S MHP | 60 |
| CARRIAGE WAY S/D | 51 |
| SELLARS MOBILE HOME PARK | 48 |
Frequently asked questions about Burlington tap water
Is Burlington tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 31 contaminants in the water serving Burlington. A detection isn't the same as a violation — most detected levels are within federal limits. Check the level and source for each contaminant above, and your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for the official compliance status.
How many water suppliers serve Burlington?
9 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Burlington, North Carolina to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Burlington's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Burlington include Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Fluoride, Copper, Cyanide. The full list, with the level at the main supplier and the data source, is in the table above.
Where does this data come from?
Every figure is official EPA drinking-water monitoring — the Lead & Copper Rule, the UCMR-5 nationwide testing program, and the EPA Six-Year Review — not our own testing. Each number is labelled with its source and period.