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Water advisories can change quickly. Before drinking, preparing food, or assuming a boil notice has ended, verify the current notice for your specific address through the official City of Concord Water Updates page or Customer Care at 704-920-5555.
Concord Water Department: Updates, Boil Notice & News 2026
Concord NC water status & customer guide
Check Concord Water Updates Before You Boil, Flush or Report an Outage
The City of Concord Water Resources Department operates Concord’s drinking-water system and publishes water-work updates, water-quality information, restrictions and emergency notices.
The most recent major 2026 boil-water event began on April 24, 2026 for only 419 Concord customers north of I-85 and NC-73 who receive water from the City of Kannapolis system. The City announced that notice was lifted April 25, 2026 after water-quality testing confirmed the water was safe for normal use.
Do not use that past event to determine today’s status. Check the City’s live Water Updates and Community News pages because a water-main break, pressure loss, treatment issue or new public-health notice can affect a different area at any time.
The City’s current Water Updates page identifies water restrictions as mandatory. The April boil-water notice was lifted. Always recheck official notices for your address before acting.
Start here
Concord NC Water Department Quick Facts
No Water or Major Pressure Loss
Call Customer Care. Concord instructs customers experiencing a water-service outage to report the problem by phone.
Call 704-920-5555Water Work or Local Event
Check the Water Updates page for current water events, work and instructions following repairs.
Open Water UpdatesBoil-Water Notice
Confirm the affected streets or service area first. A notice may apply to only a small part of Concord.
Check City NewsIf your tap is dry, pressure suddenly drops, or you see a major leak, call 704-920-5555. If water is flowing but you are worried about safety, check the official Water Updates and City News pages for an address-specific advisory before relying on an old social-media post.
2026 boil-water timeline
Is There a Concord NC Boil Water Notice?
The April 24, 2026 notice for 419 customers was officially ended on April 25, 2026.
Boil-water notices are event-specific. Check the current City Water Updates page, Community News and any direct City alert you received before using normal tap water after a new incident.
Water System Update
Concord announced that it was aware of the City of Kannapolis boil-water situation and was waiting for final guidance from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality while coordinating with Kannapolis, Cabarrus County and Cabarrus Health Alliance.
Read the official updateBoil Water Notice Issued
DEQ notified Concord that E. coli bacteria had been detected in the Kannapolis drinking-water system. Concord issued a notice for 419 customers in the areas north of I-85 and NC-73 who received Kannapolis-supplied water.
The notice did not apply to the rest of Concord’s roughly 46,000 water customers.
Open original boil noticeBoil Water Notice Lifted
Water-quality testing confirmed the water was safe for normal uses. Concord told affected customers that boiling was no longer required and published steps for flushing household plumbing and appliances.
Read the all-clear noticeIf a new notice applies to you
What to Do During a Concord Boil-Water Notice
Allow it to cool before using it, or use bottled water when an active City notice directs you to boil.
- Drinking
- Making beverages
- Making ice
- Brushing teeth
- Food preparation
- Washing dishes when directed
- Refrigerator water dispenser
- Ice made during the notice
- Filtered tap water unless City guidance says otherwise
- Water that only looks or smells normal
- Water from an unaffected-looking neighboring street
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1
Confirm your address is actually affected
Read the City notice carefully. Concord’s April event affected only a small service area, demonstrating why citywide assumptions can be wrong.
-
2
Use the notice’s effective time
Discard or avoid water and ice prepared during the period identified by the City.
-
3
Boil for one full minute
Follow the City’s public notice: bring the water to a boil, continue boiling for one minute and then allow it to cool.
-
4
Protect higher-risk household members
Infants, older adults and people with severely compromised immune systems can face greater risk from bacterial contamination. Follow the public notice and healthcare-provider guidance when applicable.
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5
Wait for an official all-clear
Do not stop boiling just because water pressure returns or the water looks clear. A boil notice ends when the responsible utility issues the official cancellation.
The April public notice specifically asked recipients to share the warning with other people using the water who might not have received the notice directly.
After the all-clear
What Concord Told Customers to Do After the 2026 Boil Notice Ended
After lifting the April notice, the City published a detailed home-reset procedure. These steps are useful reference points after a similar future event, but always follow the instructions in the newest City notice because circumstances can differ.
Flush Faucets
Open cold and hot taps throughout the home and let them run for at least 15 minutes.
Discard Old Ice
Throw away ice made before the notice was lifted.
Cycle Dispensers
Cycle an ice maker or water dispenser at least three times before normal use.
Sanitize Ice Storage
Sanitize the ice reservoir before returning it to normal service.
Flush the Dishwasher
Run a full empty dishwasher cycle using the hot-water setting.
Replace Filters
Replace water-filter cartridges, including refrigerator, pitcher and under-sink filters.
Flush Showerheads
Run showerheads for several minutes.
Flush the Washer
Run the washing machine through a hot cycle before washing clothes.
Drought response
Concord Mandatory Water Restrictions in 2026
Concord announced Level 2 mandatory restrictions beginning May 15, 2026 during persistent regional drought conditions. The City’s stated system goal was to reduce water use by approximately 5%–10%.
- Washing vehicles at home
- Residential pressure washing of homes and driveways
- Washing public buildings, sidewalks and streets except where required for health or safety
- General lawn and ornamental irrigation outside the designated schedule
- Filling newly constructed or drained pools without required authorization
- Soaker hoses for gardens any day
- Drip irrigation for gardens any day
- Hand watering gardens with a watering can
- Hand-held garden hose when the user controls the hose
- Topping off an existing swimming pool
- Commercial car washes
- Professional pressure-washing companies
Mandatory restriction violation fees
| Customer Type | First Offense | Second / Subsequent |
|---|---|---|
| Residential | $100 | $300 |
| Commercial / Institutional | $500 | $1,500 |
| Industrial | $500 | $1,500 |
City rules can be modified as drought conditions and regional supply conditions change.
No water, low pressure or main break
How to Report a Concord Water Outage or Emergency
Check your property
See whether the problem affects every faucet. Confirm the home’s main shutoff has not been closed and ask a nearby neighbor if they also lost service.
Check City water events
A planned or emergency repair may already be shown on the official Water Updates page.
Call if service is out
Report a water outage, severe pressure loss, major public leak or suspected water-system emergency to Customer Care.
Ask about a boil notice
A service interruption does not automatically create a boil notice. Ask whether any drinking-water advisory applies to your address.
The City notes that an actual repair can be shorter or longer depending on conditions.
Concord’s Water Updates page instructs customers to flush home plumbing by opening an outdoor hose connection, when it can be done without flooding, or a cold-water sink faucet for approximately 15 minutes after crews finish.
Brown, yellow or cloudy water
Discolored Water After Concord Hydrant Flushing or Utility Work
Concord uses conventional flushing, automatic flushing and unidirectional flushing to maintain the distribution system and remove sediment from water mains.
Temporary discoloration
Customers near flushing activity can temporarily experience discolored water and lower-than-normal pressure because sediment is disturbed inside the main.
City guidance: run faucets 5–10 minutes until clear.Do not guess
If discoloration persists, has an unusual odor, occurs with a major pressure drop or is accompanied by a City health notice, contact Customer Care.
704-920-5555Routine flushing can temporarily disturb mineral sediment without creating a public-health advisory. Conversely, water under a boil notice may look completely normal. Use official City instructions to determine the correct response.
Drinking-water monitoring
Concord NC Water Quality Report, Lead, Copper & PFAS
Coddle Creek
The plant receives source water from Lake Howell.
Hillgrove
The plant’s natural source is Lake Fisher.
Selected results from Concord’s 2025 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report
| Measurement | Concord Result | Regulatory Reference in Report | Report Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead, 90th percentile | Not detected | Action level 15 ppb | 0 of 51 sites above action level |
| Copper, 90th percentile | 0.120 ppm | Action level 1.3 ppm | 0 of 51 sites above action level |
| TTHM | 62.8 ppb | MCL 80 ppb | No MCL violation listed |
| HAA5 | 47.7 ppb | MCL 60 ppb | No MCL violation listed |
The City states that it routinely monitors for more than 150 contaminants. Detecting a contaminant does not automatically mean the water presents a health risk; each result must be compared with the applicable regulatory standard and monitoring requirements.
Concord publishes current and historical annual drinking-water quality reports online.
Emerging-contaminant monitoring
Concord PFAS Monitoring & Hillgrove Treatment Project
Concord says its Water Resources team has been proactively monitoring PFAS in the water system since 2024 and reports results through regulatory agencies and the City’s annual water-quality reporting.
The City’s PFAS information page reports Lake Fisher results averaging approximately 8–12 parts per trillion for PFOS.
The City says no detectable amount of PFAS has been found in treated water from the Coddle Creek Water Treatment Plant.
The City planned four initial GAC vessels for late summer/early fall 2026, followed by a future eight-vessel expansion.
The dates above reflect the City’s published project description. Use the official PFAS page for the newest construction, testing and regulatory information rather than relying on an older snapshot.
Service-line responsibility
Lead Service Lines & Concord’s Customer-Side Pipe Responsibility
Concord explains that the service line carries drinking water from the public main to the building. The City maintains the line from the water main to the meter, while the property owner is responsible for the line from the meter to the house.
The City’s Lead and Copper page states that Concord has found no lead service lines through more than 12,000 field investigations. The City also maintains a service-line material inventory.
Homes built before 1987 may contain service-line materials requiring future evaluation or replacement even when the public-side line is not lead.
Check Concord Lead & Copper Information →Major 2026 developments
Concord Water News Timeline for 2026
Customers Asked to Voluntarily Conserve Water
Concord announced voluntary conservation as extreme drought conditions affected the area and Lake Fisher was reported 11 inches below full.
Limited Boil-Water Notice Issued
419 Concord customers receiving water from the Kannapolis system north of I-85 and NC-73 were placed under a boil notice following an E. coli detection in the Kannapolis system.
Boil-Water Notice Lifted
Testing confirmed water for the affected area could return to normal use. Concord published household flushing and appliance-reset instructions.
Level 2 Mandatory Restrictions Announced
Concord and Kannapolis announced mandatory water restrictions effective May 15 as regional drought conditions persisted.
Mandatory Restrictions Modified
The cities allowed additional garden-watering flexibility, including soaker hoses, drip irrigation and controlled hand watering.
Sanitary Sewer Overflow on Fox Street SW
Concord reported an approximately 2,000-gallon untreated wastewater discharge around 339–343 Fox St SW. The City said a small amount entered a tributary of Irish Buffalo Creek. The overflow was contained and cleanup completed the same evening.
Water distribution, wastewater collection and surface-water impacts are different systems. Read the specific City notice to determine whether your tap water is affected.
Use the City’s Community News feed to check for new public notices and Water Resources announcements.
Do not miss an emergency notice
How to Get Concord Water, Utility & Emergency Alerts
CabCoALERT
Cabarrus County’s mass-notification service can distribute location-based emergency messages by phone call, text, email and supported app notifications.
Registration InstructionsConcord Non-Emergency Notifications
The City’s Everbridge signup can provide notices for utility-service updates, construction and other City information.
Choose Notification TypesWater Updates Page
Use this page when you specifically need current water-event, repair and restriction information.
Open Water UpdatesRelated customer services
Concord Water Account, Billing & Service Options
Pay a Utility Bill
Use the City’s Utility Customer Portal to view billing and payment information and make eligible online payments.
Open Customer PortalView Water Usage
The customer portal includes water and electric usage information for account holders.
Utility ServicesStart / Transfer / Stop Service
Utility account services for existing homes and businesses can be handled through Concord’s customer-service system.
Customer CareUnexpected Leak / High Bill
Concord’s Water Loss Protection Plan can provide qualifying customers a 100% leak adjustment once within a 24-month period under the City’s program rules.
Review Leak AssistanceNeed More Time to Pay?
The City offers a payment-agreement process for qualifying customers who need additional time to pay a utility bill.
Payment HelpUtility Assistance
Neighbor Helping Neighbor funds are managed through Cooperative Christian Ministry to help eligible Concord utility customers in crisis.
Assistance ProgramPhone, office & mail
Concord Water Resources Contact Information
Alfred M. Brown Operations Center
635 Alfred Brown Jr Court SW
Concord, NC 28025
Water Resources Mailing Address
City of Concord
Water Resources
P.O. Box 308
Concord, NC 28026
General Customer Care assistance is listed for weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., but customers can call 704-920-5555 24/7 to report a Concord water outage. Use 911 only for immediate threats to life, fire or other true public-safety emergencies.
Problem decoder
What Should You Do With a Concord Water Problem?
| Situation | First Action | Do You Need to Boil? |
|---|---|---|
| No water anywhere in home | Check City Water Updates and call 704-920-5555 | Only if City issues an advisory for your address |
| Sudden low pressure | Check nearby properties and report significant pressure loss | Do not assume; verify City notice |
| Brown water during hydrant flushing | Run faucets 5–10 minutes until clear | Routine flushing alone does not equal a boil notice |
| City says boil water | Confirm affected area and boil one full minute | Yes, until official all-clear |
| Main repaired and service restored | Follow City’s flushing instructions | Only if advisory remains active |
| Very high water bill | Check usage/leaks and contact Customer Care | No connection unless separate quality notice exists |
| Sewer overflow reported nearby | Read the specific environmental/public-health notice | Not automatically |
Understand City notices
Concord Water Alert Terms Explained
- Boil-Water Notice
- An official instruction to boil tap water before specified uses because of an actual or potential drinking-water health risk.
- All-Clear / Notice Lifted
- The utility’s official announcement that the conditions requiring the boil-water notice have been resolved and normal use may resume, often with flushing instructions.
- Water Main Break
- A break or failure in a public water-distribution pipe that can interrupt service, reduce pressure or require repairs.
- Level 2 Mandatory Conservation
- Concord’s mandatory drought-response level restricting specified nonessential water uses and establishing enforcement requirements.
- Unidirectional Flushing
- A planned maintenance method that moves water through selected mains at high velocity to remove sediment and mineral deposits.
- PFAS
- A large group of manufactured per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances that are persistent in the environment and are the subject of drinking-water monitoring and treatment planning.
- Action Level
- A regulatory concentration that can trigger additional treatment, monitoring or other requirements for contaminants such as lead or copper.
- MCL
- Maximum Contaminant Level, a drinking-water regulatory limit applicable to specified contaminants.
Official sources
Best Official Concord Water Links
Frequently asked questions
Concord NC Water Department FAQs
Is there a boil-water notice in Concord NC right now?
The major April 24, 2026 boil-water notice affecting 419 Concord customers was officially lifted on April 25. Because a new advisory can be issued at any time, check the City of Concord Water Updates and Community News pages for the current status before relying on this historical update.
Who was affected by the April 2026 Concord boil-water notice?
The notice applied to 419 Concord customers in areas north of I-85 and NC-73 whose water was supplied by the City of Kannapolis system. The rest of Concord’s water customers were not included in that notice.
How long should I boil water during a Concord boil notice?
The City’s April 2026 public notice instructed affected customers to bring water to a boil, keep it boiling for one full minute and then allow it to cool before use. Bottled water could be used instead.
What number do I call for a Concord water outage or emergency?
Call City of Concord Customer Care at 704-920-5555. The City states that water-service outages can be reported through this number 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
How long does a Concord water-main repair usually take?
The City’s Water Updates page says typical water work lasts about 4–8 hours from the time crews begin, although the actual duration can be shorter or longer depending on the repair.
What should I do after Concord water service is restored?
For ordinary completed water work, Concord instructs customers to flush home plumbing using an outdoor hose connection where safe or a cold-water sink faucet for approximately 15 minutes. If a boil notice was involved, follow the separate all-clear instructions issued for that event.
Are water restrictions mandatory in Concord in 2026?
The City’s current Water Updates page identifies restrictions as mandatory. Level 2 restrictions began May 15, 2026 and include limits on lawn and ornamental irrigation, home vehicle washing and pressure washing. Check the current Water Use Guidelines because rules can change as drought conditions change.
Why is my Concord tap water brown after hydrant flushing?
Water-main or hydrant flushing can temporarily disturb mineral sediment and cause discoloration or lower pressure. Concord’s unidirectional-flushing guidance recommends running faucets for about 5–10 minutes until the water appears clear. Contact Customer Care if the problem persists or an official health notice is also active.
Where can I find Concord’s annual drinking-water quality report?
The Water Resources Annual Reporting page provides the current annual drinking-water quality report and previous reports. The 2025 report includes monitoring results for lead, copper, disinfection byproducts and other detected contaminants.
How can I receive Concord water and emergency alerts?
Use the City’s Sign Up for Notifications page to register for CabCoALERT emergency notifications and City of Concord non-emergency notifications. Customers should also keep their phone information current with the City because affected customers may receive direct utility notifications.
Need a Current Concord Water Answer?
Check the official Water Updates page first. If you have no water, severe pressure loss, a suspected main break or an urgent drinking-water concern, call Customer Care at 704-920-5555.