Holly Springs, NC, July 14, 2026 — Holly Springs’ recently released 2025 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report (document) shows two PFAS compounds in the town’s water supply at levels above new federal drinking water standards, putting a spotlight on contaminants that have become a growing concern across the Cape Fear River basin. Testing found PFOA at an average of 5.3 parts per trillion and PFOS at 8.7 parts per trillion, compared with a new federal maximum contaminant level of 4 parts per trillion for each compound.
The findings do not mean Holly Springs’ water suddenly became unsafe or that a new contaminant entered the system. PFAS have been present in the Cape Fear River basin for decades, and what has changed is the federal standard against which those levels are now being measured. For Holly Springs residents, the key question is what happens next: the treatment solution has been selected, more than $7 million in funding has been secured, and the project is now in the design phase.
What the Rest of the Water Report Shows
PFAS stand out in the 2025 report because the town’s water otherwise met federal requirements across the other measured parameters. Lead was non-detectable in 90th-percentile tap samples, a result that has held across multiple testing cycles, while copper measured 0.03 parts per million, about 2 percent of the federal Action Level.
Testing for bacteria, turbidity, disinfection byproducts and other regulated contaminants also showed the water in compliance with applicable standards. The town also completed a Lead-Free service line inventory that found public and private service lines in the system are made from non-lead materials…