Is Garner, NC tap water safe?
The short answer
2 of the 15 utilities serving Garner have a result above a legal limit or action level, or a health-based violation since 2016, in EPA’s and CDC’s records: Southern Trace S/D and Parrish Meadows S/D.
City of Raleigh, which serves the most people here, has 1 result above EPA’s new limit, which takes effect in 2029. The worst: PFOS at 5.6 ppt, above EPA’s new limit, which takes effect in 2029.
The water from City of Raleigh is soft, an average of 25 mg/L (1.5 grains per gallon). How it compares.
A town can be served by more than one utility, and some homes are on private wells. The name on your water bill tells you which is yours, and your ZIP code narrows it down. They are listed by how many people each serves in Garner’s ZIP codes, from EPA’s estimates.
- Open report
City of Raleigh
North Carolina · serves 650,000 people · about 6,100 in Garner
1 result above EPA’s new limit, which takes effect in 2029. The worst: PFOS at 5.6 ppt, above EPA’s new limit, which takes effect in 2029. Hardness: soft, an average of 25 mg/L (1.5 grains per gallon).
No health-based violations since 2016
- Open report
Johnston Co - West
North Carolina · serves 99,027 people · about 3,700 in Garner
2 results above EPA’s new limit, which takes effect in 2029. The worst: PFOS at 14.1 ppt, above EPA’s new limit, which takes effect in 2029.
No health-based violations since 2016
- Open report
Turner Farms III & IV
North Carolina · serves 757 people · about 230 in Garner
Nothing in its records is above a health goal.
No health-based violations since 2016
- Open report
Hillington West S/D
North Carolina · serves 394 people · about 190 in Garner
1 result above the health goal. The worst: Uranium at 13.4 ppb, above the health goal.
No health-based violations since 2016
- Open report
Southhills Southwoods SD
North Carolina · serves 716 people · about 180 in Garner
Nothing in its records is above a health goal.
No health-based violations since 2016
- Open report
Camelot S/D
North Carolina · serves 607 people · about 150 in Garner
Nothing in its records is above a health goal.
No health-based violations since 2016
- Open report
Southern Trace S/D
North Carolina · serves 485 people · about 150 in Garner
1 result above the legal limit. The worst: Uranium at 29.2 ppb, above the legal limit.
14 health-based violations since 2016
- Open report
Creekside Place S/D
North Carolina · serves 361 people · under 100 in Garner
1 result above the health goal. The worst: Lead at 4.3 ppb, above the health goal.
No health-based violations since 2016
- Open report
Parrish Meadows S/D
North Carolina · serves 55 people · nearly all in Garner
1 result above the action level. The worst: Copper at 1.6 ppm, above the action level.
No health-based violations since 2016
- Open report
Stevens Oaks
North Carolina · serves 292 people · under 100 in Garner
Nothing in its records is above a health goal.
No health-based violations since 2016
5 more utilities in Garner
By EPA’s estimate, each serves fewer people in Garner than those above.
- Mobile Hill Estates Iserves 91 people · under 100 in Garner · no health-based violations since 2016
- Legend Hills S/Dserves 84 people · under 100 in Garner · no health-based violations since 2016
- White Oak Villageserves 104 people · under 100 in Garner · no health-based violations since 2016
- Barrington Hills S/Dserves 122 people · under 100 in Garner · no health-based violations since 2016
- Kensington Meadows S/Dserves 638 people · under 100 in Garner · no health-based violations since 2016
What handles it
Each of these is certified, on a certifier’s listing, for a result above a line in City of Raleigh’s water, which serves the most people here. Another utility’s report names what handles its own results.
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ZeroWater 10 Cup Pitcher (ZP-010)
Pitcher
- IAPMO listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53checked Oct. 4, 2026
Certified for: PFOS
Aquasana Claryum Direct Connect (AQ-MF-1)
Under-sink carbon
- IAPMO listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53NSF/ANSI 401checked Oct. 16, 2026
Certified for: PFOS
Express Water StreamLine Direct Connect System (USC001)
Under-sink carbon
- IAPMO listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53NSF/ANSI 401checked Oct. 16, 2026
Certified for: PFOS
Water testing near Garner
The 3 labs North Carolina certifies closest to Garner, in a straight line. Call first: certification is test by test, and not every lab takes samples from homeowners.
Wake County Human Services-Public Health Ctr.
Raleigh, NC · about 7 miles
Certified for bacteria, nitrate, metals, minerals and other inorganics
Eurofins Built Env. Testing East - Cary
Cary, NC · about 12 miles
Certified for asbestos
Eurofins Raleigh
Cary, NC · about 12 miles
Certified for bacteria, nitrate, minerals and other inorganics
Which ZIP codes are in Garner: Census 2020 relationship files. Which utilities serve them, and how many people: EPA SDWIS and EPA’s service area map. Each utility’s results: EPA UCMR 5, EPA SDWIS, and EPA’s and the state’s compliance monitoring, as its report lists them. How they are measured: methodology. Certified labs: North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health, certified drinking water laboratories; distances from the Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation area gazetteer.
Near Garner
Other towns in Johnston County with a page of their own.
What to do next
- Read City of Raleigh’s full reportEvery result with its dates, the violations, and the certification claim that handles each finding.Open the report
- Filters for PFOSRanked by certification and what they cost over five years.The best water filters for PFAS, ranked
- On a private well?No utility tests a well. A certified lab test is the first step.How to test well water