Water Quality Report · Updated October 07, 2026
APEX, TOWN OF
APEX, TOWN OF delivers tap water graded D (61/100) by TapWaterSafety.org. The utility serves approximately 83,001 residents in APEX, North Carolina using surface water (purchased). The most significant water quality concerns are: PFAS contamination; Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline; Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) significantly above health guideline; Bromodichloromethane significantly above health guideline. For questions, the utility can be reached at 919-249-3536.
Is APEX tap water safe to drink?
APEX, TOWN OF delivers tap water that earns a grade of D (61/100) from TapWaterSafety.org — a below-average rating, with multiple concerns including pfas contamination.
The utility serves 83,001 residents in APEX, drawing from surface water (purchased).
Public testing data identifies 14 contaminants in this water above EWG's health-based guidelines, including: Haloacetic acids (HAA9), Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Bromodichloromethane, Haloacetic acids (HAA5), Dibromoacetic acid, Dibromochloromethane, Dichloroacetic acid, Bromate*, Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)*, Trichloroacetic acid, Chloroform, Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)*, Bromoform, 1,4-Dioxane. For most residents, a properly certified home filter at the kitchen tap is the most cost-effective way to reduce exposure to whatever's in your water. See our filter recommendations below, matched specifically to this utility's contaminant profile.
EPA compliance record
Official U.S. EPA records for APEX, TOWN OF (system ID NC0392045) for the last 3 years. Checked 2026-10-07.
| Rule | Type | Since | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule | Missed testing or reporting | 07/01/2024 | Resolved |
Source: U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO), from the Safe Drinking Water Information System. See EPA's full report.
Quick actions for APEX residents
Top concerns in this water
Based on the most recent EPA and EWG data, these are the most significant water quality issues for APEX, TOWN OF.
PFAS contamination
Severe concernPerfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)*, Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)* detected. PFAS are persistent chemicals linked to cancer and immune effects with no known safe exposure threshold.
Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernHaloacetic acids (HAA9) detected at 24.7 ppb, 412x above the EWG health guideline of 0.06 ppb.
Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernTotal trihalomethanes (TTHMs) detected at 35.5 ppb, 237x above the EWG health guideline of 0.15 ppb.
Bromodichloromethane significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernBromodichloromethane detected at 12.3 ppb, 205x above the EWG health guideline of 0.06 ppb.
Contact APEX, TOWN OF
Reach the utility directly for service issues, water quality concerns, or to request your Consumer Confidence Report.
General Contact
Recommended water filters for APEX
Filters matched to the specific contaminants in this water supply.
Filter certified for PFOA/PFOS (NSF/ANSI 53 or 58)
$180-$750Reverse osmosis and some carbon block filters reduce PFAS. Look for certification to NSF/ANSI 53 or 58 for PFOA/PFOS.
Carbon filter certified for VOCs (NSF/ANSI 53)
$180-$599Activated carbon is effective for disinfection byproducts. Look for NSF/ANSI 53 VOC reduction.
Disclosure: TapWaterSafety earns a commission from purchases made through these links. This does not influence our scoring methodology or filter selection.
Score breakdown
This utility's overall score of 61/100 breaks down across five weighted components. Read the full methodology →
Contaminants detected — international standards comparison
Every contaminant detected, compared side-by-side against US EPA legal limits, the EU Drinking Water Directive (2020/2184), WHO Guidelines, and California's Public Health Goal (the strictest US benchmark). Why we show multiple standards →
| Contaminant | Detected | EWG US health-based |
EPA US legal |
EU DWD Europe |
WHO global |
CA PHG strictest US |
Tested sample year |
Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haloacetic acids (HAA9) Disinfection byproduct |
24.7 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 412× over |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
35.5 ppb | 0.15 | 80.0 | 100 | — | — | — | 237× over |
| Bromodichloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
12.3 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 205× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
15.2 ppb | 0.1 | 60.0 | 60 | — | — | — | 152× over |
| Dibromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
3.9 ppb | 0.03 | — | — | — | — | — | 130× over |
| Dibromochloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
10.8 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 108× over |
| Dichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
8.18 ppb | 0.2 | — | — | — | — | — | 41× over |
| Bromate* Disinfection byproduct |
3.49 ppb | 0.1 | 10.0 | 10 | 10 | 0.1 | — | 35× over |
| Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)* PFAS |
2.86 ppt | 0.09 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 0.007 | — | 32× over |
| Trichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
2.61 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 26× over |
| Chloroform Disinfection byproduct |
10.0 ppb | 0.4 | — | — | — | — | — | 25× over |
| Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)* PFAS |
3.79 ppt | 0.3 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 1 | — | 13× over |
| Bromoform Disinfection byproduct |
2.31 ppb | 0.5 | — | — | — | — | — | 4.6× over |
| 1,4-Dioxane Semi-volatile organic compound |
0.763 ppb | 0.35 | — | — | 50 | 1 | — | 2.2× over |
| Chlorate Disinfection byproduct |
112.8 ppb | 210.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Chromium (hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.00875 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoro-2-methyl-3-oxahexanoic acid (GenX) * PFAS |
0.208 ppt | 1.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Monobromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.513 ppb | 25.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Manganese Heavy metal |
1.53 ppb | 100.0 | — | 50 | 80 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoropentanoic Acid (PFPeA) PFAS |
5.38 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA) PFAS |
4.38 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutanoic Acid (PFBA) PFAS |
4.13 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHPA)* PFAS |
2.56 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Vanadium Other |
0.05 ppb | 21.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Monochloroacetic acid* Disinfection byproduct |
0.0271 ppb | 53.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) PFAS |
1.0 ppt | 2000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Strontium Radiological |
0.064 ppb | 1500.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Fluoride* Inorganic |
0.68 ppm | — | 4.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | — | — | Below guideline |
All values in the unit of the detected level. Red cells indicate the detected level exceeds that standard. Some contaminants have limits in some jurisdictions but not others (shown as —). The "Tested" column shows the year each contaminant sample was collected.
Sources: US EPA, EU Drinking Water Directive 2020/2184, WHO Guidelines (4th ed.), California OEHHA PHGs, EWG Tap Water Database.
APEX, TOWN OF service area
This water system serves 1 community in Wake County, North Carolina. Click any city for its dedicated tap water quality page.
Find the right filter for APEX water
Browse filter categories by water-quality concern. Each option below is NSF-certified for the matched contaminant type.