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Tap water quality report

Bristol, TN

EPA monitoring detected 5 contaminants across the 4 water suppliers serving Bristol. A detection doesn't automatically mean the water is unsafe — see the level at the main supplier for each below, with its EPA source and period.

4
water suppliers
53,409
people served
5
contaminants found
Tennessee rankings Lead in Tennessee PFAS in Tennessee

What was found in Bristol'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.

ContaminantLevel vs EPA limitSuppliersSource
Nitrate
3630 µg/L 36%
of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L
Main supplier: BRISTOL DEPT OF UTILITIES · 37,648 people · 2019
2/4 SYR4
TTHM
57.1 µg/L 71%
of the EPA limit 80 µg/L
Main supplier: BRISTOL DEPT OF UTILITIES · 37,648 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 70.66 µg/L — INTERMONT UTILITY DISTRICT · 1,848 people · 2019
4/4 SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
49.65 µg/L 83%
of the EPA limit 60 µg/L
Main supplier: BRISTOL DEPT OF UTILITIES · 37,648 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 64.165 µg/L — INTERMONT UTILITY DISTRICT · 1,848 people · 2019
4/4 SYR4
Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U
1.4 pCi/L 9.3%
of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L
Highest in the city: BRISTOL-BLUFF CITY U.D. · 6,268 people · 2014
1/4 SYR4
Lead
0.0010 mg/L 6.7%
of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L
Main supplier: BRISTOL DEPT OF UTILITIES · 37,648 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 0.0015 mg/L — INTERMONT UTILITY DISTRICT · 1,848 people · 2025
4/4 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 Bristol

SupplierPopulation served
BRISTOL DEPT OF UTILITIES 37,648
SOUTH FORK UTILITY DISTRICT 7,645
BRISTOL-BLUFF CITY U.D. 6,268
INTERMONT UTILITY DISTRICT 1,848

Frequently asked questions about Bristol tap water

Is Bristol tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 5 contaminants in the water serving Bristol. 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 Bristol?

4 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Bristol, Tennessee to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.

What contaminants are in Bristol's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Bristol include Nitrate, TTHM, Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U, Lead. 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.