Is Jefferson, NC tap water safe?
The short answer
3 of the 3 utilities serving Jefferson have a result above a legal limit or action level, or a health-based violation since 2016, in EPA’s and CDC’s records: Town of Jefferson, Jefferson Landing and Buffalo Meadows S/D.
Town of Jefferson, which serves the most people here, has 1 result above the health goal. The worst: Lead at 3.0 ppb, above the health goal. Health goals are stricter than legal limits and are not enforced.
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 Jefferson’s ZIP codes, from EPA’s estimates.
- Open report
Town of Jefferson
North Carolina · serves 1,740 people · about 180 in Jefferson
1 result above the health goal. The worst: Lead at 3.0 ppb, above the health goal.
4 health-based violations since 2016
- Open report
Jefferson Landing
North Carolina · serves 653 people · under 100 in Jefferson
1 result above the action level and 1 result above the health goal. The worst: Copper at 3.3 ppm, above the action level.
No health-based violations since 2016
- Open report
Buffalo Meadows S/D
North Carolina · serves 120 people · lists Jefferson among the places it serves
Nothing in its records is above a health goal.
1 health-based violation since 2016
What handles it
Each of these is certified, on a certifier’s listing, for a result above a line in Town of Jefferson’s water, which serves the most people here. Another utility’s report names what handles its own results.
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Brita Tahoe Pitcher with Elite Filter (OB60, OB06)
Pitcher
- WQA listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53NSF/ANSI 401checked Oct. 13, 2026
- IAPMO listing:NSF/ANSI 53checked Oct. 13, 2026
Certified for: Lead
Brita Everyday Pitcher with Elite Filter (OB46, OB06)
Pitcher
- WQA listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53NSF/ANSI 401checked Oct. 13, 2026
Certified for: Lead
PUR PLUS 11-Cup Pitcher (PPT111W)
Pitcher
- NSF listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53NSF/ANSI 401checked Oct. 4, 2026
- WQA listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53NSF/ANSI 401checked Oct. 4, 2026
- IAPMO listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53NSF/ANSI 401checked Oct. 4, 2026
Certified for: Lead
Water testing near Jefferson
The 3 labs North Carolina certifies closest to Jefferson, in a straight line. Call first: certification is test by test, and not every lab takes samples from homeowners.
Aqua Tech Service and Consulting
Boone, NC · about 19 miles
Certified for bacteria
Water Quality Lab & Operations
Banner Elk, NC · about 30 miles
Certified for bacteria, nitrate, lead and copper, metals, minerals and other inorganics
Surry County Health Dept.
Dobson, NC · about 36 miles
Certified for bacteria
ZIP codes in Jefferson
Which ZIP codes are in Jefferson: 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 Jefferson
Towns nearby with a page of their own.
What to do next
- Read Town of Jefferson’s full reportEvery result with its dates, the violations, and the certification claim that handles each finding.Open the report
- Filters for LeadRanked by certification and what they cost over five years.The best water filters for lead, ranked
- On a private well?No utility tests a well. A certified lab test is the first step.How to test well water