← Check another ZIP · Water quality in CHAPEL HILL, NC
SOUTHERN TRACE S/D
CHAPEL HILL, NC · 485 people served · EPA PWSID NC4392141
SOUTHERN TRACE S/D (CHAPEL HILL, NC), which serves about 485 people, has recorded 3 health-based drinking-water contaminants in EPA violation records since 2016, most notably Copper, Uranium/Gross Alpha (radioactivity), Lead. A certified water filter can reduce these at the tap — see the certified options for each below.
What the testing found
Measured levels from EPA violation records, compared to the federal limit (MCL). The black line marks the legal limit.
Uranium/Gross Alpha
Over limitGross alpha MCL 15 pCi/L (excludes radon and uranium). Cancer risk. Naturally occurring in groundwater.
Lead
Not detectedNo safe level. Damages developing brain/nervous system in children; linked to lower IQ, kidney and cardiovascular harm in adults. Usually enters water from corroding pipes/solder, not the source.
Also on record
Copper
1 violationRecorded as a federal action-level / treatment violation (1 since 2016). Measured 90th-percentile levels are reported separately under the Lead & Copper Rule.
Short-term: nausea/vomiting/cramps; long-term: liver/kidney damage. Leaches from copper plumbing, worse with corrosive water.
Filters certified to clean up your water
Your water shows Copper. A filter pitcher handles the most of this in one unit — these three are independently certified for the most of your contaminants (not marketing claims):
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The picks above are the convenient option. For a more permanent fix at a lower cost per gallon, an under-sink system treats more of your water in one place. See the best under-sink filters →
Note: gross-alpha radioactivity is best handled by reverse osmosis certified for radionuclides.
Compare all certified pitcher filters →
Want certainty about your tap specifically (not just the system)? A certified mail-in lab test is the gold standard — system-wide records can differ from your home's plumbing. Some links above are affiliate links — see our disclosure.
Sources & method. Contaminant levels and violations come from EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (health-based violations, 2016–present); PFAS from EPA UCMR5 monitoring (2023–2025). Levels shown are the highest recorded value in the violation records; a violation means the contaminant exceeded its federal limit at the system level. Your home's water can differ from the system average. Public domain data; we are not affiliated with the EPA.