Lead In Drinking Water In Tennessee
What residents of Tennessee need to know about lead in drinking water — including how it enters water, which utilities have documented violations, and what steps to take.
Source: EPA SDWIS, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), CDC · Last reviewed: 2025-01-01
Quick Answer
Is lead in drinking water a real concern in Tennessee?
Yes — Memphis draws water from the naturally soft Memphis Sand Aquifer, which is corrosive to older plumbing. Nashville and Chattanooga have aging urban housing stock.
Is this mostly a public-water issue, a private-well issue, or both?
Both public water service lines and older household plumbing; Memphis's soft groundwater is particularly corrosive, while Nashville and Chattanooga have pre-1986 urban housing.
What is the main reason residents should care?
Memphis's water supply comes from the Memphis Sand Aquifer, which produces naturally soft, low-mineral water. This water chemistry is more corrosive to older plumbing materials than hard water, accelerating lead leaching from service lines and household fixtures.
Key Facts
| Federal Lead Action Level | 15 µg/L — zero is the only safe level per CDC |
| Memphis water source | Memphis Sand Aquifer — naturally soft water more corrosive to lead plumbing |
| Federal MCLG | Zero |
| Regulatory framework | TDEC enforces EPA Lead and Copper Rule Revisions |
| State oversight | Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) |
Why This Matters in Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee's largest city, draws its drinking water almost entirely from the Memphis Sand Aquifer — one of the largest and most productive groundwater sources in the U.S. The aquifer produces naturally soft, low-alkalinity water that is more corrosive toward lead-bearing plumbing than harder surface water supplies. Memphis Shelby County Office of Sustainability and MLGW (Memphis Light, Gas and Water) have implemented corrosion control treatment, but the soft water characteristic remains. Nashville, Chattanooga, and Knoxville have older urban neighborhoods with pre-1986 housing stock and aging service connections. TDEC enforces the Lead and Copper Rule and requires utilities to complete lead service line inventories.
Tennessee Utilities With Lead Violation Records
The utilities listed below have at least one lead violation on record in EPA's SDWIS database. Violations may be open or resolved — see individual utility pages for current status and risk level.
Collierville Water Dept
Collierville · 51,972 served
Nolensville-college Grove U.d.
Nolensville · 32,793 served
Dayton Water Dept
Dayton · 25,054 served
Winchester Water System
Winchester · 24,899 served
Bedford County U.d.
Shelbyville · 22,908 served
Selmer Water System
Selmer · 20,648 served
Gladeville Utility District
Lebanon · 19,813 served
Glen Hills Utility District
Tennessee · 17,355 served
Harriman Utility Board
Harriman · 16,653 served
Claiborne Utilities District
New Tazewell · 16,135 served
How Lead Gets Into Drinking Water
Lead service lines
The pipe connecting a home to the water main may be made of lead, especially in pre-1986 construction. Water sitting in these lines can accumulate lead before it reaches the tap.
Lead solder
Lead solder at pipe joints was banned for potable water systems in 1986. Homes built before that date — including significant portions of older Tennessee cities — may still have lead solder throughout their plumbing.
Older brass fixtures
Faucets, valves, and fixtures with high lead content were common before the 2014 revision of 'lead-free' standards. Replacing older fixtures at kitchen and drinking taps can meaningfully reduce exposure.
Corrosive water chemistry
Soft, acidic, or low-alkalinity water dissolves lead from plumbing more readily. Utilities use orthophosphate and other corrosion control treatments, but household plumbing after the meter is not within their control.
Who Should Pay Closest Attention
Memphis residents in older neighborhoods, families in pre-1978 rental housing in Nashville and Chattanooga, and households with children under six should prioritize checking their utility's lead service line inventory and considering certified filtration.
Families with children under six
Pregnant residents
Households in homes built before 1986
Renters who cannot inspect building plumbing
Residents on a confirmed lead service line
Households that had plumbing work done recently (disturbances dislodge protective scale)
How to Check Your Situation in Tennessee
- 1
Identify your water utility. Use the ZIP lookup below or browse the Tennessee utility directory on this site.
- 2
Read your utility's page on this site to see its current risk level and any open lead violations.
- 3
Contact your utility and ask for your address-level service line material status. Under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR), utilities must maintain and provide this information.
- 4
Review your utility's most recent Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) — mailed annually or available on the utility's website.
- 5
Consider testing your tap water at a Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC)-certified lab. Your state health department or Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) maintains a list of certified labs.
- 6
If you have young children or are pregnant, install a certified NSF/ANSI 53 or 58 filter at the kitchen tap as a precautionary measure.
Treatment Options
Boiling does not remove lead. Use a certified filter for drinking and cooking water.
NSF/ANSI Standard 53 — Activated Carbon Block
Under-sink or pitcher filters certified to Standard 53 are independently verified to reduce lead. Replace filters on the manufacturer's schedule — an overdue filter may not perform as certified.
NSF/ANSI Standard 58 — Reverse Osmosis
RO systems certified to Standard 58 remove 95–99% of lead and a broad range of contaminants. Requires under-sink installation. More comprehensive than Standard 53 for households with multiple contaminant concerns.
Flushing — temporary mitigation only
EPA recommends flushing the cold tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes if water has sat in pipes for 6+ hours. Not a substitute for certified filtration or service line replacement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Pages
Lead — National Overview
All U.S. utilities with lead records
Tennessee State Overview
All utilities and water quality data
Nitrate in Drinking Water
A separate but common concern
Reverse Osmosis Guide
Removes 95–99% of lead
Activated Carbon Filter Guide
NSF/ANSI 53 certified options
All Contaminants
Complete reference library
Data Sources & Provenance
All data on this page is sourced from official U.S. government or public datasets.