Tapcensus

Mercury violations in North Carolina

6 active public water systems in North Carolina had a Mercury violation in the past three years. What Mercury is and why it matters.

Health effects: Chronic exposure to inorganic mercury in water primarily damages the kidneys. Neurological effects — tremors, memory loss, cognitive impairment — are more associated with organic mercury (methylmercury) than with the inorganic form regulated in drinking water. Developing fetuses and young children are most vulnerable.

Systems with a Mercury violation

Latest quarter first, then largest first
SystemServesStatusRules violated, 3 yrUnresolved
Newton, City of
Newton · Catawba County 		18,407 6 0
Orange-Alamance Water System
Efland · Orange County 		9,223 11 1
Northampton--Milwaukee
Jackson · Northampton County 		5,715 9 1
Columbus Town of
Columbus · Polk County 		2,489 10 3
Old Stage Place
Garner · Wake County 		364 5 0
Whispering Pines MHP
Durham · Durham County 		305 9 4
About this data

A system is counted once if any of its violations in the past three years involved Mercury, including monitoring and reporting lapses. Rules violated and status in the table are for the whole system, not Mercury alone.

Source: the U.S. EPA's Enforcement and Compliance History Online system (ECHO), which publishes the federal Safe Drinking Water Information System. EPA's terms and values are shown as published. The North Carolina records are from EPA's data refresh of Oct 7, 2026; EPA refreshes this data quarterly, and states report to EPA with a lag of three to six months, so the newest violations may not appear yet.