Water Quality Report · Updated October 07, 2026
ASHEVILLE CITY OF
ASHEVILLE CITY OF delivers tap water graded B (76/100) by TapWaterSafety.org. The utility serves approximately 157,431 residents in ASHEVILLE, North Carolina using surface water. The most significant water quality concerns are: Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline; Haloacetic acids (HAA5) significantly above health guideline; Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) significantly above health guideline. For questions, the utility can be reached at 828-259-5957.
Is ASHEVILLE tap water safe to drink?
ASHEVILLE CITY OF delivers tap water that earns a grade of B (76/100) from TapWaterSafety.org — a good rating, with only minor concerns relative to health-based guidelines.
The utility serves 157,431 residents in ASHEVILLE, drawing from surface water.
Public testing data identifies 9 contaminants in this water above EWG's health-based guidelines, including: Haloacetic acids (HAA9), Haloacetic acids (HAA5), Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Trichloroacetic acid, Dichloroacetic acid, Chloroform, Bromodichloromethane, Dibromochloromethane, Chromium (hexavalent). 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 ASHEVILLE CITY OF (system ID NC0111010) for the last 3 years. Checked 2026-10-07.
| Rule | Type | Since | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead and Copper Rule | Missed testing or reporting | 10/01/2025 | Resolved |
| Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule | Required treatment not met | 10/01/2024 | 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 ASHEVILLE residents
Top concerns in this water
Based on the most recent EPA and EWG data, these are the most significant water quality issues for ASHEVILLE CITY OF.
Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernHaloacetic acids (HAA9) detected at 39.4 ppb, 656x above the EWG health guideline of 0.06 ppb.
Haloacetic acids (HAA5) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernHaloacetic acids (HAA5) detected at 36.9 ppb, 369x above the EWG health guideline of 0.1 ppb.
Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernTotal trihalomethanes (TTHMs) detected at 36.8 ppb, 245x above the EWG health guideline of 0.15 ppb.
Contact ASHEVILLE CITY OF
Reach the utility directly for service issues, water quality concerns, or to request your Consumer Confidence Report.
General Contact
Treatment Plant
Recommended water filters for ASHEVILLE
Filters matched to the specific contaminants in this water supply.
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 76/100 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 |
39.4 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 656× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
36.9 ppb | 0.1 | 60.0 | 60 | — | — | — | 369× over |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
36.8 ppb | 0.15 | 80.0 | 100 | — | — | — | 245× over |
| Trichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
18.6 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 186× over |
| Dichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
18.1 ppb | 0.2 | — | — | — | — | — | 90× over |
| Chloroform Disinfection byproduct |
33.4 ppb | 0.4 | — | — | — | — | — | 83× over |
| Bromodichloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
3.1 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 52× over |
| Dibromochloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
0.273 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 2.7× over |
| Chromium (hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.0313 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | 1.6× over |
| Chlorate Disinfection byproduct |
108.5 ppb | 210.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Manganese Heavy metal |
0.61 ppb | 100.0 | — | 50 | 80 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Monochloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.196 ppb | 53.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Vanadium Other |
0.0292 ppb | 21.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHPA) PFAS |
0.189 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Strontium Radiological |
0.0119 ppb | 1500.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| 4-Androstene-3,17-dione Other |
0.075 ppt | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Fluoride Inorganic |
0.0124 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.
ASHEVILLE CITY OF service area
This water system serves 1 community in Buncombe County, North Carolina. Click any city for its dedicated tap water quality page.
Find the right filter for ASHEVILLE water
Browse filter categories by water-quality concern. Each option below is NSF-certified for the matched contaminant type.