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Tap water quality report

Chattanooga, TN

EPA monitoring detected 14 contaminants across the 4 water suppliers serving Chattanooga. 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
267,316
people served
14
contaminants found
Tennessee rankings Lead in Tennessee PFAS in Tennessee

What was found in Chattanooga'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
Fluoride
1050 µg/L 26%
of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L
Main supplier: TENNESSEE AMERICAN WATER · 207,046 people · 2019
2/4 SYR4
Nitrate
557.5 µg/L 5.6%
of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L
Main supplier: TENNESSEE AMERICAN WATER · 207,046 people · 2019
4/4 SYR4
Barium
100 µg/L 5%
of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L
Main supplier: TENNESSEE AMERICAN WATER · 207,046 people · 2019
2/4 SYR4
TTHM
78.72 µg/L 98%
of the EPA limit 80 µg/L
Main supplier: TENNESSEE AMERICAN WATER · 207,046 people · 2019
4/4 SYR4
Copper
68.5 µg/L 5.3%
of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L
Highest in the city: SUCK CREEK WATER SYSTEM · 606 people · 2019
1/4 SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
38.6 µg/L 64%
of the EPA limit 60 µg/L
Main supplier: TENNESSEE AMERICAN WATER · 207,046 people · 2019
4/4 SYR4
Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U
3.05 pCi/L 20%
of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L
Highest in the city: RIVER LANDING CONDOMINIUM ASSOC · 52 people · 2016
1/4 SYR4
Xylenes, Total
2.2 µg/L 0%
of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L
Highest in the city: SUCK CREEK WATER SYSTEM · 606 people · 2019
1/4 SYR4
Carbon Tetrachloride
1.5 µg/L 30%
of the EPA limit 5 µg/L
Highest in the city: RIVER LANDING CONDOMINIUM ASSOC · 52 people · 2019
1/4 SYR4
Gross Beta Particle Activity
0.8833 pCi/L
No EPA limit set
Main supplier: TENNESSEE AMERICAN WATER · 207,046 people · 2019
1/4 SYR4
2,4-D
0.3950 µg/L 0.6%
of the EPA limit 70 µg/L
Main supplier: TENNESSEE AMERICAN WATER · 207,046 people · 2019
1/4 SYR4
Pfba
0.0085 µg/L
No EPA limit set
Main supplier: TENNESSEE AMERICAN WATER · 207,046 people · 2024
Highest in the city: 0.0112 µg/L — EASTSIDE UTILITY DISTRICT · 59,612 people · 2024
2/4 UCMR-5
PFBS
0.0095 µg/L
No EPA limit set
Main supplier: TENNESSEE AMERICAN WATER · 207,046 people · 2024
1/4 UCMR-5
Lead
0.0010 mg/L 6.7%
of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L
Main supplier: TENNESSEE AMERICAN WATER · 207,046 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 0.0023 mg/L — EASTSIDE UTILITY DISTRICT · 59,612 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 Chattanooga

SupplierPopulation served
TENNESSEE AMERICAN WATER 207,046
EASTSIDE UTILITY DISTRICT 59,612
SUCK CREEK WATER SYSTEM 606
RIVER LANDING CONDOMINIUM ASSOC 52

Frequently asked questions about Chattanooga tap water

Is Chattanooga tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 14 contaminants in the water serving Chattanooga. 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 Chattanooga?

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

What contaminants are in Chattanooga's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Chattanooga include Fluoride, Nitrate, Barium, TTHM, Copper. 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.