Drinking water quality · 2024
· Verified
What's in Knoxville, TN tap water
24 contaminants were measured in the Knoxville, TN water system's 2024 annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit.
- Reporting year
- 2024
- Contaminants measured
- 24
- Over federal limit
- 0
- Approaching the limit
- 0
- Service area
- TN
PFAS — EPA UCMR5 (2023–2025)
1 PFAS compound detected in Knoxville, 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.
PFBS
● Detected (no federal limit)below national p90 (13.909999999999979 ng/L across detecting U.S. systems)
Where your water comes from · EPA SDWIS
Knoxville, TN's drinking water comes from surface water, drawn from 1 source.
Source
- TENNESSEE RIVER
Treatment
- TN RIVER
- MARK B WHITAKER PLANT
Distribution
Historical readings · EPA Six-Year Review (2012–2019)
2 contaminants historically over EPA limits in Knoxville, TN
Every U.S. public water system reports compliance-monitoring data to EPA. The Six-Year Review releases the 2012–2019 window as a single dataset — here's what your system reported, year by year. Values shown are the highest detection per analyte per year, compared to the federal MCL.
| Contaminant | Worst detection | EPA limit | Years (2012–2019) |
|---|---|---|---|
HAA5 worst: 2018 | 0.0707 mg/L 1.2× | 0.06 mg/L | '14'15'16'17'18'19 |
TTHM worst: 2016 | 0.0931 mg/L 1.2× | 0.08 mg/L | '14'15'16'17'18'19 |
FLUORIDE worst: 2015 | 0.77 mg/L within | 4 mg/L | '14'15'16'17'18'19 |
NITRATE worst: 2018 | 0.67 mg/L within | 10 mg/L | '14'15'16'17'18'19 |
NITRATE NITRITE worst: 2018 | 0.67 mg/L within | 10 mg/L | '14'15'16'17'18'19 |
BARIUM worst: 2016 | 0.028 mg/L within below national p90 | 2 mg/L | '14'15'16'17'18'19 |
COPPER worst: 2014 | 0.013 mg/L below national p90 | — | '14'15 |
Disinfectants
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChlorineA disinfectant added to drinking water to kill bacteria and viruses. | 1.7–2.5Rangeor Level Detected | 4MRDLG | Within the limit |
Disinfection byproducts
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlorite | 0.02–0.02Rangeor Level Detected | 0.8MCLG | Within the limit |
Inorganic chemicals
Metals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| AluminumA common element sometimes used as a treatment coagulant. | 31AverageSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| CalciumA naturally occurring mineral that contributes to water hardness. | 24AverageSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| IronA naturally occurring metal common in groundwater. | 5AverageSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| LeadA toxic metal that leaches into water from old service lines, solder, and plumbing fixtures. | 1–2.390th percentileAt the tap | 0MCLG | Detected — no federal limit |
| SodiumA naturally occurring salt component. | 11Rangeor Level Detected | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| ZincA naturally occurring metal that can also enter water from corroding pipes. | 87AverageSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Physical & aggregate
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| AlkalinityA measure of the water's capacity to neutralize acids. | 74AverageSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| HardnessA measure of dissolved calcium and magnesium minerals. | 91AverageSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| pHA measure of how acidic or basic the water is. | 7.3AverageSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| Specific ConductanceA measure of how well water conducts electricity, which tracks dissolved mineral content. | 218AverageSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| TOCTotal organic carbon — a measure of organic material dissolved in the water. | 1.9–2.4Rangeor Level Detected | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| Total Dissolved SolidsTotal dissolved solids — the combined content of all dissolved minerals and salts. | 150AverageSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| TurbidityA measure of cloudiness from suspended particles in the water. | 0.02–0.09Rangeor Level Detected | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
People also ask about Knoxville, TN's water
+Is Knoxville, TN tap water safe to drink in 2024?
Every one of the 24 contaminants measured in Knoxville, TN's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report is below its federal limit. "Safe" under the EPA's drinking-water standards is health-based, not aesthetic — but by those standards, no measured contaminant in this report exceeds its enforceable threshold. Individual health concerns (e.g. immunocompromised, infant, pregnancy) may warrant additional filtering regardless of compliance.
+What contaminants are in Knoxville, TN tap water?
24 contaminants were measured in Knoxville, TN's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report, spanning metals, physical & aggregate, and inorganic chemicals. 10 have an enforceable federal limit; the rest are detected but unregulated. Every measured value, in the utility's own units, is on this page.
+Where does the data on this page come from?
Every value is transcribed from Knoxville, TN's 2024 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 Knoxville, 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 2024 report; a new report will replace it once the utility publishes its next annual update.