What was found in Nashville's water
The level at the city's main supplier, the highest level anywhere in the city, the EPA limit for each, and where every figure comes from.
| Contaminant | Level vs EPA limit | Suppliers | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate | 8628 µg/L 86% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Highest in the city: TWIN OAKS TP · 77 people · 2019 | 4/6 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 331.4 µg/L 25% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: CENTRAL NASH WATER & SEWER · 7,675 people · 2017
Highest in the city: 1261.85 µg/L — NASHVILLE, TOWN OF · 5,900 people · 2017 | 5/6 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 542 µg/L 14% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Highest in the city: NASHVILLE, TOWN OF · 5,900 people · 2019 | 2/6 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 85.045 µg/L 106% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 80 µg/L Main supplier: CENTRAL NASH WATER & SEWER · 7,675 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 87.24 µg/L — NASH COUNTY WATER SYSTEM AREA 2 · 701 people · 2019 | 4/6 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 73.36 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CENTRAL NASH WATER & SEWER · 7,675 people · 2019 | 3/6 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 66.13 µg/L 110% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 60 µg/L Main supplier: CENTRAL NASH WATER & SEWER · 7,675 people · 2019 | 3/6 | SYR4 |
| Cyanide | 47.6 µg/L 24% of the EPA limit 200 µg/L Highest in the city: BASS MH COURT · 97 people · 2019 | 1/6 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 39.19 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CENTRAL NASH WATER & SEWER · 7,675 people · 2019 | 3/6 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 24.31 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CENTRAL NASH WATER & SEWER · 7,675 people · 2019 | 3/6 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 18.75 µg/L 125% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 15 µg/L Highest in the city: NASHVILLE, TOWN OF · 5,900 people · 2017 | 3/6 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 16.51 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CENTRAL NASH WATER & SEWER · 7,675 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 17.4 µg/L — NASHVILLE, TOWN OF · 5,900 people · 2019 | 4/6 | SYR4 |
| Lithium | 9.5 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: NASHVILLE, TOWN OF · 5,900 people · 2025 | 1/6 | UCMR-5 |
| 1,2-Dichloropropane | 8.985 µg/L 180% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 5 µg/L Highest in the city: BASS MH COURT · 97 people · 2019 | 1/6 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 7.2419 µg/L 7.2% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Highest in the city: BASS MH COURT · 97 people · 2019 | 1/6 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 7.2 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CENTRAL NASH WATER & SEWER · 7,675 people · 2019 | 1/6 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 5 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CENTRAL NASH WATER & SEWER · 7,675 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 6 µg/L — NASHVILLE, TOWN OF · 5,900 people · 2019 | 3/6 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 3.93 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CENTRAL NASH WATER & SEWER · 7,675 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 4.09 µg/L — NASHVILLE, TOWN OF · 5,900 people · 2019 | 3/6 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 3.4866 µg/L 12% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L Highest in the city: NASHVILLE, TOWN OF · 5,900 people · 2018 | 1/6 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 2.46 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CENTRAL NASH WATER & SEWER · 7,675 people · 2019 | 3/6 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroethylene | 1.45 µg/L 29% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Highest in the city: BASS MH COURT · 97 people · 2019 | 1/6 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 1.2 pCi/L 24% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Highest in the city: NASHVILLE, TOWN OF · 5,900 people · 2018 | 2/6 | SYR4 |
| Toluene | 0.5000 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Highest in the city: OAK LEVEL MHP · 99 people · 2018 | 1/6 | SYR4 |
| PFOS | 0.0102 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CENTRAL NASH WATER & SEWER · 7,675 people · 2023
Highest in the city: 0.4900 µg/L — NASHVILLE, TOWN OF · 5,900 people · 2025 | 2/6 | UCMR-5 |
| PFHXS | 0.0350 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: NASHVILLE, TOWN OF · 5,900 people · 2025 | 1/6 | UCMR-5 |
| PFOA | 0.0063 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CENTRAL NASH WATER & SEWER · 7,675 people · 2023
Highest in the city: 0.0066 µg/L — NASHVILLE, TOWN OF · 5,900 people · 2025 | 2/6 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfba | 0.0062 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: CENTRAL NASH WATER & SEWER · 7,675 people · 2023 | 1/6 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfhxa | 0.0046 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: NASHVILLE, TOWN OF · 5,900 people · 2025 | 1/6 | UCMR-5 |
| PFBS | 0.0036 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: NASHVILLE, TOWN OF · 5,900 people · 2025 | 1/6 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfhps | 0.0036 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: NASHVILLE, TOWN OF · 5,900 people · 2025 | 1/6 | UCMR-5 |
| Lead | 0.0 mg/L 0% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: CENTRAL NASH WATER & SEWER · 7,675 people · 2025 | 6/6 | LCR |
Each bar shows the measured level as a share of the EPA limit: green is
well under, amber is close to it, red is over. For lead and copper the
limit applies to exactly the 90th-percentile figure shown, so red there
means a real exceedance. For everything else the limit applies to a
running annual average while the figure is the 95th percentile of the
system's samples — over 100% is worth reading, but is not by itself a
violation.
Formal violations are listed separately.
These are the utilities' own EPA-reported results, not a city-wide
average. A detection means the lab measured the
substance — it isn't the same as exceeding a legal limit. Hover a source
tag to see the EPA program and years behind each figure.
Water suppliers serving Nashville
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| CENTRAL NASH WATER & SEWER | 7,675 |
| NASHVILLE, TOWN OF | 5,900 |
| NASH COUNTY WATER SYSTEM AREA 2 | 701 |
| OAK LEVEL MHP | 99 |
| BASS MH COURT | 97 |
| TWIN OAKS TP | 77 |
Frequently asked questions about Nashville tap water
Is Nashville tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 30 contaminants in the water serving Nashville. A detection isn't the same as a violation — most detected levels are within federal limits. Check the level and source for each contaminant above, and your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for the official compliance status.
How many water suppliers serve Nashville?
6 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Nashville, North Carolina to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Nashville's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Nashville include Nitrate, Copper, Fluoride, TTHM, Chloroform. The full list, with the level at the main supplier and the data source, is in the table above.
Where does this data come from?
Every figure is official EPA drinking-water monitoring — the Lead & Copper Rule, the UCMR-5 nationwide testing program, and the EPA Six-Year Review — not our own testing. Each number is labelled with its source and period.