Drinking water quality · 2024
· Verified
What's in Memphis, TN tap water
11 contaminants were measured in the Memphis, TN water system's 2024 annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit.
- Reporting year
- 2024
- Contaminants measured
- 11
- Over federal limit
- 0
- Approaching the limit
- 0
- Service area
- TN
Where your water comes from · EPA SDWIS
Memphis, TN's drinking water comes from ground water, drawn from 196 sources.
Source
- LITCHTERMANN ST WELL - · 22
- MCCORD STATION WELL - · 18
- MORTON STATION WELL - · 17
- SHAW STATION WELL - · 16
- + 81 more
Treatment
- SHEAHAN ST (24)
- ALLEN ST (31)
- MCCORD ST (25)
- + 18 more
Distribution
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.
Radionuclides
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combined RadiumCombined radium-226 and radium-228 — naturally occurring radioactive elements. | 0.6 pCi/LAverageSystem-wide | 5 pCi/LMCL | Within the limit |
| Gross AlphaGross alpha particle activity — a combined measure of alpha-emitting radioactive substances. | 0.7 pCi/LAverageSystem-wide | 15 pCi/LMCL | Within the limit |
Disinfectants
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChlorineA disinfectant added to drinking water to kill bacteria and viruses. | 1.2AverageSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Disinfection byproducts
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| HAA5Haloacetic acids — a group of five disinfection byproducts formed when disinfectants react with organic matter. | 1.71AverageSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| TTHMTotal trihalomethanes — a group of four chemicals (including chloroform) formed when chlorine reacts with natural organic matter. | 7.42AverageSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Inorganic chemicals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| FluorideA mineral often added to drinking water to help prevent tooth decay. | 0.6AverageSystem-wide | 4MCL | Detected — no federal limit |
| NitrateA compound from fertilizer runoff, septic systems, and erosion of natural deposits. | 0.08AverageSystem-wide | 10MCL | Detected — no federal limit |
Metals
Microbial
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total ColiformA group of bacteria used as an indicator of overall water-system sanitation. | 2Reported levelAnnual | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Physical & aggregate
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| TurbidityA measure of cloudiness from suspended particles in the water. | 0.06–0.88Rangeof Amount Detected | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
People also ask about Memphis, TN's water
+Is Memphis, TN tap water safe to drink in 2024?
Every one of the 11 contaminants measured in Memphis, 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 Memphis, TN tap water?
11 contaminants were measured in Memphis, TN's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report, spanning disinfection byproducts, inorganic chemicals, and metals. 5 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 Memphis, 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 Memphis, 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.