What was found in Hickory'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 | 7550 µg/L 76% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Highest in the city: SUNNY ACRES I · 50 people · 2019 | 15/24 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 6325 µg/L 63% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Highest in the city: HOMESTEAD S/D WATER SYSTEM · 389 people · 2015 | 10/24 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 509 µg/L 13% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: HICKORY CITY OF · 71,393 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 2000 µg/L — JACOB`S VIEW S/D · 238 people · 2018 | 14/24 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 354.8 µg/L 27% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: HICKORY CITY OF · 71,393 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 851.9 µg/L — SHERWOOD FOREST S/D · 160 people · 2019 | 23/24 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 71.7 µg/L 478% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 15 µg/L Main supplier: HICKORY CITY OF · 71,393 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 120.95 µg/L — HOMESTEAD S/D WATER SYSTEM · 389 people · 2019 | 10/24 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 82.85 µg/L 104% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 80 µg/L Main supplier: HICKORY CITY OF · 71,393 people · 2019 | 4/24 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 72 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: HICKORY CITY OF · 71,393 people · 2019 | 4/24 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 45 µg/L 75% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: HICKORY CITY OF · 71,393 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 52.8 µg/L — BURKE CO-AIRPORT RHODHISS · 559 people · 2019 | 7/24 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 26 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: HICKORY CITY OF · 71,393 people · 2019 | 2/24 | SYR4 |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | 21.01 pCi/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: SNOW CREEK HEIGHTS WATER SYST · 130 people · 2019 | 13/24 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 20.045 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: HICKORY CITY OF · 71,393 people · 2019 | 4/24 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 11 µg/L 0.5% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Highest in the city: HERMAN ACRES S/D · 113 people · 2018 | 1/24 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 9.095 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: HICKORY CITY OF · 71,393 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 9.775 µg/L — BURKE CO-AIRPORT RHODHISS · 559 people · 2019 | 2/24 | SYR4 |
| Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate | 5.045 µg/L 84% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L Highest in the city: SUNNY ACRES I · 50 people · 2019 | 2/24 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 3.74 pCi/L 75% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Highest in the city: PONDEROSA S/D · 132 people · 2019 | 9/24 | SYR4 |
| Dalapon | 2.7 µg/L 1.4% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L Highest in the city: RIVERVIEW ACRES WATER SYSTEM · 119 people · 2019 | 2/24 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 2.49277 µg/L 8.3% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L Highest in the city: GREENBRIAR S/D WATER SYSTEM · 158 people · 2019 | 3/24 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 2 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: HICKORY CITY OF · 71,393 people · 2019 | 2/24 | SYR4 |
| Tetrachloroethylene | 1.67 µg/L 33% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Highest in the city: CLEARVIEW ACRES S/D · 170 people · 2019 | 1/24 | SYR4 |
| Chlordane | 0.2800 µg/L 14% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L Highest in the city: SNOW CREEK HEIGHTS WATER SYST · 130 people · 2019 | 1/24 | SYR4 |
| Bhc-Gamma | 0.0561 µg/L 28% of the EPA limit 0.2000 µg/L Highest in the city: HOMESTEAD PARK S/D · 137 people · 2018 | 1/24 | SYR4 |
| Heptachlor Epoxide | 0.0553 µg/L 28% of the EPA limit 0.2000 µg/L Highest in the city: SNOW CREEK HEIGHTS WATER SYST · 130 people · 2019 | 3/24 | SYR4 |
| Ethylene Dibromide | 0.0177 µg/L 35% of the EPA limit 0.0500 µg/L Highest in the city: SHERWOOD FOREST S/D · 160 people · 2018 | 1/24 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0 mg/L 0% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: HICKORY CITY OF · 71,393 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 0.0070 mg/L — HERMAN ACRES S/D · 113 people · 2025 | 24/24 | 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 Hickory
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| HICKORY CITY OF | 71,393 |
| BURKE CO-AIRPORT RHODHISS | 559 |
| HOMESTEAD S/D WATER SYSTEM | 389 |
| HIDDEN CREEK ESTATES | 340 |
| WOODRIDGE S/D | 295 |
| FOREST RIDGE S/D | 292 |
| JACOB`S VIEW S/D | 238 |
| CLEARVIEW ACRES S/D | 170 |
| JAMESTOWNE S/D WATER SYSTEM | 163 |
| SHERWOOD FOREST S/D | 160 |
| GREENBRIAR S/D WATER SYSTEM | 158 |
| HAWKS RIDGE S/D | 152 |
| HOMESTEAD PARK S/D | 137 |
| PONDEROSA S/D | 132 |
| SNOW CREEK HEIGHTS WATER SYST | 130 |
| RIVERVIEW ACRES WATER SYSTEM | 119 |
| HERMAN ACRES S/D | 113 |
| KOOL PARK MHP | 70 |
| BELLE MEADE S/D | 66 |
| SPRINGBROOK MH S/D | 56 |
| SPRING VALLEY WATER SYSTEM | 51 |
| SUNNY ACRES I | 50 |
| TRANQUIL VILLAGE S/D | 43 |
| CLIFTWOOD WEST WATER SYSTEM | 40 |
Frequently asked questions about Hickory tap water
Is Hickory tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 24 contaminants in the water serving Hickory. 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 Hickory?
24 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Hickory, North Carolina to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Hickory's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Hickory include Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Fluoride, Copper, Lead. 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.