Water Quality

Charlotte Water's Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) - also known as a water quality report or a drinking water quality report - provides important information about the quality of the water we provide for our customers. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the State of North Carolina require all drinking water providers to publish a CCR each year for the water quality of the previous year. So, the CCR released in 2024 reflects data collected in 2023.

The most important thing about a CCR is the transparency in water quality data the report provides customers, as well as notification of any water quality violations.

A water quality violation occurs when any contaminate is found at levels higher than the EPA allows. The violation requires the water provider to notify customers immediately about what was found in the water and any health effects it might have. It also can require the provider to enhance or change its treatment or monitoring of the water.

A contaminant is anything found in your water that is not a water molecule, which is why we prefer to think of them as impurities. Contaminants/impurities can be good or harmful to your health, depending on the substance and quantity. For example, E. coli is a very small organism that is harmless at low levels but can make people sick in large enough quantities. On the other hand, chlorine, which is used in the water treatment process as a disinfectant against bacteria like E. coli, is also an impurity, but it is added at very safe levels to ensure high-quality drinking water.

Yes, the presence of contaminants does not always create a water quality violation. There are levels of some contaminants considered to be safe.

Yes. A water provider can receive a violation for incorrect sampling techniques or failure to submit samples on time.

No. For another year, we are proud to report we delivered high-quality, clean drinking water with zero water quality violations. Charlotte Water staff work 24/7, 365 days a year to ensure that we meet and exceed drinking water standards.

We performed more than 170,000 tests this year for more than 150 regulated contaminants and more than 700 unregulated contaminants. None of these found contaminants or impurities that exceeded EPA regulations.