Contaminant 8000
Unresolved Revised Total Coliform Rule violation cited in 2023 (contaminant 8000).
City · TRI 2024
Cary, North Carolina Pollution
2 TRI facilities inside the city limits and 221 public water systems serving residents. In-city TRI releases fell modestly year over year (-5%). Toxic releases concentrations are roughly unchanged from 2010.
FIPS 3710740 · population 174,880 · Wake County
Anomaly engine
Notable Signals
Contaminant 4010
Unresolved Phase I/II/V Inorganic Chemical Rules violation cited in 2020 (contaminant 4010).
E. coli
Unresolved Drinking water rule (140) violation cited in 2024 (e. coli).
Contaminant 8000
Unresolved Revised Total Coliform Rule violation cited in 2025 (contaminant 8000).
Showing the 4 most editorially weighted signals out of 45. Lower-severity signals fold into the chemical breakdown and history charts below.
Pollutant pathways
Cary Pollutant Multi-Year Trends
PM2.5 annual mean (NAAQS 9 µg/m³ (annual))Health riskFine inhalable particles 2.5 micrometers or smaller. They travel deep into the lungs and into the bloodstream — linked to asthma, heart disease, stroke, and premature death.
PM2.5 annual mean (NAAQS 9 µg/m³ (annual)) concentrations have more than halved since 2010.
PM2.5 24-hour 98th percentile (NAAQS 35 µg/m³ (24-hour))Health riskFine inhalable particles 2.5 micrometers or smaller. They travel deep into the lungs and into the bloodstream — linked to asthma, heart disease, stroke, and premature death.
PM2.5 24-hour 98th percentile (NAAQS 35 µg/m³ (24-hour)) concentrations have fallen 50% since 2010.
Ozone 8-hour 4th-highest daily max (NAAQS 0.070 ppm (8-hour))Health riskGround-level ozone (smog) forms when vehicle and industrial emissions react in sunlight. Inflames the airways, triggers asthma attacks, and worsens heart and lung disease.
Ozone 8-hour 4th-highest daily max (NAAQS 0.070 ppm (8-hour)) concentrations have fallen 27% since 2010.
NO₂ annual mean (NAAQS 53 ppb (annual))Health riskA tailpipe and combustion gas. Concentrates near busy roads and industrial sites; raises risk of airway inflammation, asthma, and lower respiratory infections in children.
NO₂ annual mean (NAAQS 53 ppb (annual)) concentrations have fallen 20% since 2014.
Lifetime cancer risk all pollutants (100 in a million (EPA elevated threshold))Health riskEPA-modeled added cancer cases per million residents from a lifetime of breathing local air toxics. EPA flags 100-in-a-million as elevated.
Single-vintage exposure modeling — EPA cadence is multi-year, so no trend line yet.
Formaldehyde ambient mean (0.077 µg/m³ (1-in-a-million URE))Health riskAn air toxic emitted by refineries, wood products, and combustion. EPA classifies it as a known human carcinogen — long-term inhalation raises cancer risk.
Single-vintage exposure modeling — EPA cadence is multi-year, so no trend line yet.
Benzene ambient mean (0.13 µg/m³ (1-in-a-million URE))Health riskAn air toxic from gasoline, refineries, and tobacco smoke. A known human carcinogen — chronic exposure is linked to leukemia and other blood cancers.
Single-vintage exposure modeling — EPA cadence is multi-year, so no trend line yet.
TRI air releases (5.1 fugitive + 5.2 stack)Health riskToxic chemicals reported by industrial facilities as released into the air — fugitive leaks plus smokestack emissions. Higher pounds means more inhaled exposure for nearby residents.
TRI air releases (5.1 fugitive + 5.2 stack) concentrations are roughly unchanged from 2010.
TRI water releases (5.3)Health riskToxic chemicals reported by industrial facilities as discharged to surface waters (rivers, lakes, the ocean). Affects fishing, recreation, and downstream drinking-water intakes.
TRI water releases (5.3) volumes here are too small to anchor a multi-year trend; YoY movement is still shown above.
TRI land + off-site releasesHealth riskToxic chemicals released to land on-site or transferred off-site for disposal — landfills, deep-well injection, and similar. Risks groundwater contamination over time.
TRI land + off-site releases volumes here are too small to anchor a multi-year trend; YoY movement is still shown above.
Greenhouse gases (GHGRP large emitters, through 2023)Health riskGreenhouse gases reported by large industrial emitters under EPA's GHGRP, in metric tons of CO₂ equivalent. Drives climate warming and the heat-related health effects that follow.
Greenhouse gases (GHGRP large emitters, through 2023) concentrations are roughly unchanged from 2010.
Top facilities · TRI 2024
Largest Emitters Inside The City
| Facility | Top chemical | Total releases | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kellanova - Cary BakeryKellanova Manufacturing LLC | AmmoniaHealth riskSevere respiratory and eye irritant; high concentrations cause chemical burns to lung tissue. (EPA) | 128k lb | -5% |
| Argos Ready Mix Cary Concrete PlantSummit Materials LLC | LeadHealth riskNeurotoxin. Even low childhood exposure impairs cognitive development; chronic adult exposure damages kidneys and the cardiovascular system. (EPA, ATSDR) | 0 lb | 0% |
Drinking water · SDWIS
Water Systems Serving Cary
336 unresolved violations on the SDWIS record across utilities serving this city.
221
Utilities serving
293,637
Population served
17
Health-based · 5yr
336
Unresolved
| Water system | PWSID | Population served | Health-based · 5yr | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ridgehaven S/D Private | NC0392184 | 455 | 8 | UNRESOLVED |
| Cary, Town Of Municipal | NC0392020 | 224,000 | 6 | UNRESOLVED |
| Lipscomb Landing S/D Private | NC4092208 | 178 | 1 | UNRESOLVED |
| Preserve At Long Branch Private | NC4092079 | 90 | 2 | Returned to compliance |
| Bayleaf Master Private | NC0392373 | 16,715 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Royal Senter Ridge S/D Private | NC4392140 | 740 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Kensington Meadows S/D Private | NC0392314 | 638 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Glendale Master System Private | NC0392293 | 633 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Turner Farms V Master System Private | NC0392398 | 518 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Briarwood/Kildaire Private | NC0392383 | 517 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Hampton Ridge S/D Private | NC0392376 | 460 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Tradewinds S/D Private | NC0392094 | 442 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Old Stage Place Private | NC4392183 | 364 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Fairview Wooded Acres Mh S/D Private | NC0392129 | 284 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Southside Mhp Private | NC0392190 | 254 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Ridgebrook Bluff S/D Private | NC4392101 | 234 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Hampton Park Sd Private | NC4092084 | 206 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Stoney Creek S/D Private | NC4392151 | 173 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Hoke Landing S/D Private | NC4092102 | 165 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Hudson Meadows S/D Private | NC4092042 | 122 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Sunset Manor S/D Private | NC4092094 | 97 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Wedgewood Square S/D Private | NC0392381 | 96 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Gardner Farms S/D Private | NC4092197 | 84 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Little River Mhp Private | NC0392153 | 79 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
| Edgemont Mhp Private | NC0392127 | 63 | 0 | UNRESOLVED |
Showing the 25 systems with recorded health-based or unresolved violations. 196 additional systems are in compliance with no recorded health-based violations in the past 5 years and are not individually tabulated.
A public water systemis the regulated entity, not the city. EPA's SDWIS definition covers anything serving 25+ people for 60+ days a year or with 15+ service connections — that includes municipal utilities (City of Stockton), water districts, mobile home parks operating their own wells, schools, and small private subdivisions. Each system is independently monitored. Some systems serve multiple cities; some cities are served by many systems.
Equity context · ACS 2018-2022 · USEPA-clone EJ disparity
Who Lives In Cary
Cary, North Carolina (Census place block groups): 174,880 residents. City disparity score for pm2.5 (fine particulate) sits well below the reference (25). Why we surface this →
5.2%
Low-income
40.8%
People of color
7.0%
Under age 5
13.2%
Over age 64
- PM2.5 (fine particulate)Health riskFine inhalable particles 2.5 micrometers or smaller. They travel deep into the lungs and into the bloodstream — linked to asthma, heart disease, stroke, and premature death.25below the national median
- OzoneHealth riskGround-level ozone (smog) inflames the airways. Even short exposures trigger asthma attacks and worsen chronic lung and heart disease.15below the national median
- Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂)Health riskA tailpipe and combustion gas. Concentrates near busy roads and industrial sites; raises risk of airway inflammation, asthma, and lower respiratory infections in children.41near the national median
- Diesel particulateHealth riskSoot from diesel engines (trucks, trains, ports, construction). EPA classifies it as a likely human carcinogen and a major driver of childhood asthma near freight corridors.42near the national median
- Toxic releases (RSEI)Health riskEPA's Risk-Screening Environmental Indicators score — weights TRI chemical releases by toxicity, where they go, and how many people are nearby. Higher means greater modeled cancer and chronic-health risk.46near the national median
- Traffic proximityHealth riskPopulation-weighted distance to high-volume roads. Living close to heavy traffic raises exposure to PM2.5, NO₂, and diesel exhaust — and the cardiovascular and asthma risks that follow.61above the national median
- Lead-paint risk (pre-1960 housing)Health riskShare of housing built before 1960, when lead-based paint was common. Dust from deteriorating paint is the leading cause of childhood lead poisoning, which permanently impairs cognitive development.22below the national median
- Superfund site proximityHealth riskPopulation-weighted distance to NPL Superfund sites — the most contaminated waste sites in the country. Nearby groundwater, soil, and air can carry industrial solvents, metals, and other long-lived contaminants.73above the national median
- RMP-facility proximityHealth riskDistance to facilities holding chemicals at quantities large enough to require an EPA Risk Management Plan (refineries, fertilizer plants, etc.). These pose acute exposure risk during accidental releases.37below the national median
- Hazardous-waste site proximityHealth riskDistance to RCRA hazardous-waste handlers (treatment, storage, disposal facilities). Indicates potential exposure to industrial chemicals in air, soil, and groundwater.65above the national median
- Underground storage tanksHealth riskDensity of underground tanks (gasoline, heating oil, industrial fluids). Leaking tanks are a leading source of benzene and other volatile organic compounds in groundwater drinking-water supplies.72above the national median
- NPDES wastewater proximityHealth riskDistance to permitted industrial wastewater dischargers. Closer proximity raises exposure to pollutants released into surface waters used for fishing, recreation, and downstream drinking-water intakes.76above the national median
- Drinking-water non-complianceHealth riskEPA score for public water systems with health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violations. Higher means more residents on systems that recently exceeded safe limits for contaminants like lead, arsenic, or nitrate.80above the national median
| Indicator | Disparity score | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (fine particulate) | 25 | well below the reference |
| Ozone | 27 | well below the reference |
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) | 39 | well below the reference |
| Diesel particulate | 40 | well below the reference |
| Toxic releases (RSEI) | 43 | well below the reference |
| Traffic proximity | 55 | below the reference |
| Lead-paint risk (pre-1960 housing) | 9 | well below the reference |
| Superfund site proximity | 65 | below the reference |
| RMP-facility proximity | 30 | well below the reference |
| Hazardous-waste site proximity | 60 | below the reference |
| Underground storage tanks | 50 | well below the reference |
| NPDES wastewater proximity | 66 | below the reference |
| Drinking-water non-compliance | 69 | below the reference |
Source: Census ACS 2018-2022 (5-year) + USEPA-clone EJ blockgroup stats (raw indicators + EJ disparity mirror).
Health context
Co-Located Health Indicators
Modeled adult-prevalence estimates published by CDC PLACES, paired with this city's pollution and demographic context. Comparisons are ecological, not causal — pollution and disease prevalence covary at the area level, but the data does not attribute any individual's diagnosis to local exposure. How this section works →
Adult asthma (current)
9.2%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
COPD prevalence
3.9%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
Coronary heart disease
4.3%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
Diabetes (diagnosed)
8.6%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
Frequent mental distress
12.8%
CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023
PLACES uses BRFSS-modeled small-area estimates, not individual records. Crude prevalence shown above is the local rate as published; comparators are age-adjusted vs the North Carolina mean and the US mean — both population-weighted across counties — so geographies with different age structures stay apples-to-apples. Sources: CDC PLACES · 2025 release · BRFSS 2022-2023.
Sources.
- EPA Toxics Release Inventory · retrieved 2026-05-07.
- EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System · retrieved 2026-05-07.