Drinking water quality · 2025
What's in Chattanooga, TN tap water
24 contaminants were measured in the Chattanooga, TN water system's 2025 annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit — 2 sit at or above that limit.
- Reporting year
- 2025
- Contaminants measured
- 24
- Over federal limit
- 2
- Approaching the limit
- 0
- Worst contaminant
- Nitrate
- Service area
- TN
PFAS — EPA UCMR5 (2023–2025)
2 PFAS compounds detected in Chattanooga, TN
The EPA finalized the first-ever federal drinking-water limits for six PFAS compounds in April 2024. These numbers come straight from EPA's UCMR5 lab dataset — every U.S. system serving more than 3,300 people tested every PFAS sample at an entry point to its distribution system. PFAS not listed below were either tested and not detected, or not yet sampled.
PFBA
● Detected (no federal limit)PFBS
● Detected (no federal limit)Where your water comes from · EPA SDWIS
Chattanooga, TN's drinking water comes from surface water, drawn from 1 source.
Source
- TENNESSEE RIVER
Treatment
- FILTER PLANT
- FILTER PLANT
Distribution
Also buys water from HIXSON UTILITY DISTRICT, EASTSIDE UTILITY DISTRICT.
Compliance history
Federal Safe Drinking Water Act violation & enforcement records (EPA SDWIS). A violation is a regulatory determination by the state or EPA — separate from the measured levels above.
Inorganic chemicals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| NitrateA compound from fertilizer runoff, septic systems, and erosion of natural deposits. | 10 mg/LReported levelSystem-wide | None set | At or above the limit |
| FluorideA mineral often added to drinking water to help prevent tooth decay. | 0.69 mg/LRunning annual avgSystem-wide | 4 mg/LMCLG | Within the limit |
| ChlorideA naturally occurring salt compound. | 11.7 mg/LAverageCitico Water Treatment Plant | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| SulfateA naturally occurring mineral from rock and soil. | 7.6 mg/LAverageCitico Water Treatment Plant | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Radionuclides
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combined RadiumCombined radium-226 and radium-228 — naturally occurring radioactive elements. | 5 pCi/LReported levelSystem-wide | None set | At or above the limit |
Disinfection byproducts
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| TTHMTotal trihalomethanes — a group of four chemicals (including chloroform) formed when chlorine reacts with natural organic matter. | 53 ug/LRunning annual avgSystem-wide | None set | Within the limit |
| HAA5Haloacetic acids — a group of five disinfection byproducts formed when disinfectants react with organic matter. | 28 ug/LRunning annual avgSystem-wide | None set | Within the limit |
Disinfectants
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChlorineA disinfectant added to drinking water to kill bacteria and viruses. | 1.69 mg/LRunning annual avgSystem-wide | 4 mg/LMRDLG | Within the limit |
Physical & aggregate
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| TurbidityA measure of cloudiness from suspended particles in the water. | 0.36 NTUMaximumSystem-wide | None set | Within the limit |
| HardnessA measure of dissolved calcium and magnesium minerals. | 76 mg/LAverageCitico Water Treatment Plant | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| pHA measure of how acidic or basic the water is. | 7.3AverageCitico Water Treatment Plant | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| TOCTotal organic carbon — a measure of organic material dissolved in the water. | 32.9 %RangeSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| Total Dissolved SolidsTotal dissolved solids — the combined content of all dissolved minerals and salts. | 85 mg/LAverageCitico Water Treatment Plant | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Metals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| LeadA toxic metal that leaches into water from old service lines, solder, and plumbing fixtures. | 0.001 mg/L90th percentileAt the tap | 0.015 mg/LAction level | Within the limit |
| CopperA metal that enters water from corroding household plumbing. | 0.071 mg/L90th percentileAt the tap | 1.3 mg/LMCLG | Within the limit |
| IronA naturally occurring metal common in groundwater. | Not detected mg/LRangeRange Detected | None set | None detected |
| ManganeseA naturally occurring metal from soil and rock. | Not detected mg/LRangeRange Detected | None set | None detected |
| AluminumA common element sometimes used as a treatment coagulant. | 0.06 mg/LAverageCitico Water Treatment Plant | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| CalciumA naturally occurring mineral that contributes to water hardness. | 21 mg/LAverageCitico Water Treatment Plant | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| MagnesiumA naturally occurring mineral that contributes to water hardness. | 5 mg/LAverageCitico Water Treatment Plant | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| SodiumA naturally occurring salt component. | 7.8 mg/LAverageCitico Water Treatment Plant | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| ZincA naturally occurring metal that can also enter water from corroding pipes. | 0.2 mg/LAverageCitico Water Treatment Plant | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
People also ask about Chattanooga, TN's water
+Is Chattanooga, TN tap water safe to drink in 2025?
The 2025 Consumer Confidence Report for the Chattanooga, TN water utility lists 2 contaminants at or above the federal limit: Nitrate and Combined Radium. Whether that means the water is "unsafe" depends on which contaminant, how long the exposure, and individual health factors. The table on this page shows the measured value, the federal threshold, and the regulated statistic used for compliance.
+What contaminants are in Chattanooga, TN tap water?
24 contaminants were measured in Chattanooga, TN's 2025 Consumer Confidence Report, spanning metals, physical & aggregate, and inorganic chemicals. 4 have an enforceable federal limit; the rest are detected but unregulated. Every measured value, in the utility's own units, is on this page.
+Which contaminants exceed federal limits in Chattanooga, TN tap water?
2 contaminants in Chattanooga, TN's 2025 report sit at or above the federal limit: Nitrate (1.0× the limit); Combined Radium (1.0× the limit). The EPA enforces these limits against the regulated reporting statistic — typically a running annual average or 90th percentile — not a one-off sample spike.
+What is the worst contaminant in Chattanooga, TN tap water?
The contaminant with the highest measured value relative to its federal limit in the 2025 report is Nitrate, at 1.0× the federal threshold. It belongs to the inorganic chemicals family of contaminants.
+Where does the data on this page come from?
Every value is transcribed from Chattanooga, TN's 2025 Consumer Confidence Report — the annual drinking-water report every U.S. public water utility is required by federal law to publish. The original source document is archived and viewable on this site. A water-quality report covers an entire service area, not a single address.
+How often is Chattanooga, TN's water quality data updated?
Each U.S. public water utility publishes one Consumer Confidence Report per year, covering the prior calendar year's measurements. This page reflects the 2025 report; a new report will replace it once the utility publishes its next annual update.