The numbers, not the panic
PFAS and forever chemicals
Actual PFOA and PFOS figures for Triangle water systems, and why Wilmington's GenX problem is genuinely solved. No panic, just the numbers.
PFAS are a family of synthetic compounds that do not break down in the environment or in the body. North Carolina has a particular history with them because of the Chemours facility on the Cape Fear, and that history has made PFAS the most emotionally charged topic in the state's water.
It has also made it the most oversold. So here are the actual numbers, and they cut both ways.
In the Triangle, PFAS are present and measurable: Durham's PFOS runs 5.33 ppt, Cary's PFOA 2.86 ppt, Wake Forest's PFOS 2.41 ppt, Raleigh's PFOS 1.50 ppt. These sit at or below the 4 ppt federal limit but above EWG's far stricter health guidelines. In Wilmington, the story is genuinely different — and better than almost anyone selling water treatment there will tell you.
Wilmington's GenX problem is solved, and we'll say so
CFPUA spent roughly $91 million on a deep-bed granular activated carbon build at the Sweeney plant. Post-GAC, GenX averages 0.10 ppt and PFOA averages 0.03 ppt against a 4.0 ppt federal limit. That is not a marginal improvement; it is a solved problem, and it was solved at the treatment plant with public money. Anyone selling you a PFAS system in Wilmington on the strength of the GenX headlines is selling you yesterday's crisis. What has not changed is private wells near the plume — those receive no treatment at all, and that is where PFAS concern in the Cape Fear region is still entirely justified.
| City | Hardness | Disinfectant | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wake Forest | 8–12 GPG | chlorine | Neuse River |
| Apex | 7–9 GPG | chlorine | Jordan Lake (Cary system) |
| Cary | 7–9 GPG | chlorine | Jordan Lake |
| Raleigh | 7–10 GPG | chlorine | Neuse River / Falls Lake |
| Chapel Hill | 6–9 GPG | chlorine | University Lake / Cane Creek |
| Durham | 6–9 GPG | chlorine | Lake Michie / Little River |
| Wilmington | 2.9 GPG | chlorine | Cape Fear River — CFPUA Sweeney plant (deep-bed GAC) |
| Charlotte | 1–4 GPG | chloramine | Catawba chain — Mountain Island Lake / Lake Norman |
What actually fixes it
Reverse osmosis is the most reliable residential method for PFAS reduction, and because PFAS exposure through water is overwhelmingly about what you drink and cook with, point-of-use at the kitchen sink addresses the great majority of it. Whole-home PFAS treatment is possible but substantially more expensive, and for most households it is not where the money is best spent. Standard carbon filtration is not a PFAS solution regardless of what the packaging says.
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Common questions
- Is there PFAS in Raleigh and Durham water?
- Yes, at low but measurable levels. Durham's PFOS is 5.33 ppt and Raleigh's is 1.50 ppt. Both are under the 4 ppt federal limit for most measures but above EWG's health-based guideline of 0.3 ppt, which is far stricter than what the law requires.
- Do I still need a PFAS filter in Wilmington?
- For GenX specifically, on CFPUA water, probably not — post-GAC levels are around 0.10 ppt against a 4.0 ppt limit. If you are on a private well near the Chemours plume, that is a completely different situation and testing is genuinely urgent.
- Does a water softener remove PFAS?
- No. Ion-exchange softening targets hardness minerals and has no meaningful effect on PFAS. Reverse osmosis is the residential answer.
- Does boiling water remove PFAS?
- No — it concentrates them. Boiling reduces water volume while the PFAS remain, so the concentration goes up.
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