Well water in Cherokee County, North Carolina

In Cherokee County, 3% of 3,035 private wells tested between 1998 and 2019 had lead above the North Carolina groundwater standard (15 ug/L), according to the NC State Laboratory of Public Health (NCWELL).

3,035 private wells tested 1998 to 2019 in state summaries. Data refreshed September 9, 2026.

What homeowner tests found

NCWELL private well summaries: private wells tested and reported to the state, 1998 to 2019. Shares are against the level the state applies to each contaminant, named in the last column; several are stricter than EPA.

Contaminant	Wells tested	Above state level	Highest	State level
Iron	1,385	30%	65,230	300 ug/L
Manganese	3,031	28%	5,800	50 ug/L
Lead	3,035	3%	222	15 ug/L
Copper	1,388	<1%	7.71	1 mg/L
Arsenic	3,031	<1%	28	10 ug/L
Nitrate	451	0%	9.7	10 mg/L
Nitrite	451	0%	0.071	1 mg/L

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What this means

Among homeowners in Cherokee County who sent a sample to the state lab, the health-based limits most often exceeded were lead (3% of 3,035 wells), copper (<1% of 1,388 wells), and arsenic (<1% of 3,031 wells). These are ordinary wells tested by their owners, so the shares are the best available picture of a typical well here, with one caveat: people test more often when they suspect a problem.

Iron and manganese exceed the state's advisory level in a sizable share of wells; these are mostly a taste, staining or diet issue rather than a toxicity one.

What to test for in Cherokee County

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)58 leaking underground storage tank sites on record locally.
Iron30% of 1,385 local wells tested were above the North Carolina groundwater standard.
Manganese28% of 3,031 local wells tested were above the North Carolina groundwater standard.
Lead3% of 3,035 local wells tested were above the North Carolina groundwater standard.
Copper<1% of 1,388 local wells tested were above the North Carolina groundwater standard.
Arsenic<1% of 3,031 local wells tested were above the North Carolina groundwater standard.
Coliform bacteriaRecommended for every private well, every year.
NitrateRecommended for every private well, especially near farms or septic systems.

Contamination sources on record in Cherokee County

NC DEQ records 58 leaking underground storage tank sites in Cherokee County, among 58 regulated sites in total. Groundwater does not follow property lines, so a well within a few hundred feet of one of these is worth testing for what that site could release.

58: leaking underground storage tank sitesGasoline and heating oil that leaked from tanks move through groundwater as benzene, MTBE and other volatile organic compounds.

Treatment that fits the local profile

Iron: Oxidizing filter whole-house; Water softener (low levels); Aeration plus filtration
Manganese: Oxidizing filter (greensand, birm) whole-house; Water softener (low levels); Point-of-use reverse osmosis

Get your Cherokee County water tested at home

A licensed local water treatment company tests your tap water in your home, walks you through the numbers, and quotes treatment only if something needs fixing. Free, about 30 minutes, no obligation. Tell us what you need and we match you with a company that serves Cherokee County.

Common questions

How often should I test a private well in Cherokee County?

Test for bacteria and nitrate every year. Test once for arsenic, uranium, radon, fluoride, manganese and PFAS, then again every three to five years or after any change in taste, color, or plumbing.

Sources

NCWELL private well summaries: summaries for 7 contaminants in Cherokee County, up to 3,035 wells each. County summaries of private well tests run by the NC State Laboratory of Public Health, 1998 to 2019, compiled by the UNC Superfund Research Program (NCWELL database). Counts are tests, not distinct wells; since 2008 every new well is tested once, so most tests are unique wells. Shares are against the NC 2L groundwater standard where one exists (manganese 50 ug/L, lead 15, iron 300) and otherwise the EPA limit. Medians are not used because more than half of results sit at the reporting limit for most analytes. Retrieved September 9, 2026.
NC DEQ regulated sites: 58 regulated sites located in Cherokee County. Underground storage tank incidents from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality UST Section. Retrieved September 9, 2026.

Non-detects count as samples and are treated as zero when computing medians. Exactly at the limit counts as not above it. A sample belongs to the town containing the well's reported coordinates.