Well water in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
In Mecklenburg County, 3% of 2,593 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).
2,600 private wells tested 1998 to 2019 in state summaries; 63 individual samples from 43 wells, 1980 to 1994. 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.
What individual samples found
Each row summarizes every public sample for that contaminant inside Mecklenburg County. Above limit means above the EPA maximum contaminant level; where EPA has no enforceable limit, the row shows a health guideline or nuisance level instead.
| Contaminant | Samples | Detected | Above limit | Median | Highest | Limit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenic 1981 to 1994 | 59 | 37% | 8% | 0 | 690 | 10 ug/L EPA limit | |
| Lead 1980 to 1993 | 56 | 71% | 5% | 0 | 400 | 15 ug/L EPA limit | |
| Copper 1983 to 1994 | 63 | 33% | 0% | 0 | 0.6 | 1.3 mg/L EPA limit | |
| Fluoride 1984 to 1994 | 20 | 15% | 0% | 0 | 0.3 | 4 mg/L EPA limit | |
| Nitrate 1983 to 1994 | 13 | 62% | 0% | 0.05 | 1.09 | 10 mg/L EPA limit | |
| Manganese 1982 to 1994 | 27 | 93% | no limit | 50 | 5,620 | 300 ug/L health guideline | |
| Chloride 1982 to 1992 | 21 | 100% | no limit | 6.9 | 78 | 250 mg/L nuisance level | |
| Sodium 1986 to 1992 | 16 | 100% | no limit | 18.1 | 30,500 | 20 mg/L health guideline |
Sampled fewer than 10 times, too few to summarize: Iron (9).
Get the free Mecklenburg County well report
One email with the numbers above, what they mean for a home in Mecklenburg County, exactly which tests to order, and what treatment fits the local profile. No spam, unsubscribe in one click.
What this means
Among homeowners in Mecklenburg County who sent a sample to the state lab, the health-based limits most often exceeded were lead (3% of 2,593 wells), copper (1% of 1,017 wells), and arsenic (<1% of 2,600 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 Mecklenburg County
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)3,305 leaking underground storage tank sites on record locally.
- Iron23% of 1,014 local wells tested were above the North Carolina groundwater standard.
- Manganese14% of 2,596 local wells tested were above the North Carolina groundwater standard.
- Copper1% of 1,017 local wells tested were above the North Carolina groundwater standard.
- Coliform bacteriaRecommended for every private well, every year.
- ChlorideDetected in 100% of local samples.
- NitrateRecommended for every private well, especially near farms or septic systems.
Contamination sources on record in Mecklenburg County
NC DEQ records 3,305 leaking underground storage tank sites in Mecklenburg County, among 3,305 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.
- 3,305
- 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
- Arsenic
- Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Adsorptive media (iron-based) whole-house; Anion exchange
- Lead
- Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Certified lead-removal carbon filter; Neutralizing filter to raise pH and stop leaching
- Chloride
- Point-of-use reverse osmosis; Distillation
Get your Mecklenburg 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 Mecklenburg County.
Common questions
Is there arsenic in well water in Mecklenburg County?
Arsenic was detected in 37% of 59 public well samples in Mecklenburg County, and 8% were above the EPA limit of 10 ug/L. Arsenic has no taste or smell; a lab test is the only way to know your level.
How often should I test a private well in Mecklenburg 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
- USGS Water Quality Portal: 284 samples in Mecklenburg County. Data from the Water Quality Portal, a service of USGS, EPA and USDA; groundwater samples collected by USGS and cooperators. Retrieved September 3, 2026.
- NCWELL private well summaries: summaries for 8 contaminants in Mecklenburg County, up to 2,600 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: 3,305 regulated sites located in Mecklenburg 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.