Nitrate In Drinking Water In Tennessee
What residents of Tennessee need to know about nitrate 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 nitrate in drinking water a real concern in Tennessee?
Yes — Tennessee's agricultural middle and western regions have documented nitrate concerns in private wells; livestock operations and row crop farming contribute to groundwater loading.
Is this mostly a public-water issue, a private-well issue, or both?
Primarily private well users in agricultural counties of middle and west Tennessee; public water systems are monitored by TDEC.
What is the main reason residents should care?
Tennessee's beef cattle, poultry, and row crop farming across middle and west Tennessee generate nitrate loading that can reach shallow groundwater used by private wells. TDEC monitors public systems; private well testing is the owner's responsibility.
Key Facts
| EPA Nitrate MCL | 10 mg/L as N |
| Tennessee agriculture | Beef cattle, poultry, corn, soybeans, and cotton across middle and west TN |
| Private well risk | Agricultural counties in middle and west Tennessee — test annually |
| Testing guidance | TDEC provides private well testing guidance via county health departments |
| State oversight | Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) |
Why This Matters in Tennessee
Tennessee is a significant agricultural state, with beef cattle operations spread across middle Tennessee, poultry farms in the eastern and central portions, and row crop (corn, soybeans, cotton) production across west Tennessee. Manure and fertilizer application on farmland can leach nitrate into shallow groundwater. Private wells in agricultural Tennessee counties — particularly in middle Tennessee's Highland Rim and west Tennessee's flat cropland — can accumulate nitrate from surface farming activities. TDEC requires public water systems to monitor and comply with the nitrate MCL and provides guidance on private well testing.
Critical — Infants Under 6 Months
Do not use tap water that exceeds 10 mg/L nitrate-nitrogen to prepare infant formula or feed infants under six months. Boiling will concentrate nitrate — do not boil. Use bottled water or a certified reverse osmosis system (NSF/ANSI 58) until the issue is resolved.
Tennessee Utilities With Nitrate Violation Records
The utilities listed below have at least one nitrate violation on record in EPA's SDWIS database. Violations may be open or resolved — see individual utility pages for current status and risk level.
Memphis Light, Gas, & Water
Memphis · 659,500 served
Knoxville Utilities Board - Kub
Knoxville · 254,671 served
Consolidated U.d. of Rutherford Co
Murfreesboro · 221,871 served
First U.d. of Knox County
Knoxville · 115,531 served
Kingsport Water Dept
Kingsport · 107,739 served
Cleveland Utilities
Cleveland · 95,087 served
Hallsdale-powell U.d.
Knoxville · 84,315 served
Madison Suburban U.d.
Madison · 81,203 served
West Knox Utility District
Knoxville · 77,825 served
Franklin Water Dept
Franklin,Franklin Pike · 77,222 served
How Nitrate Gets Into Drinking Water
Agricultural fertilizer and manure runoff
Nitrogen-based fertilizers and animal waste applied to Tennessee cropland can leach into groundwater or run off into surface water supplies. This is the dominant nitrate pathway in most agricultural regions.
Septic system effluent
Failing or poorly sited septic systems release nitrogen-rich wastewater near drinking water wells. Rural areas with high well density and aging septic infrastructure face elevated risk.
Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs)
Large livestock facilities generate significant waste. Lagoon leaks and overapplication of manure to nearby fields can create localized nitrate hotspots in groundwater.
Natural geological deposits
In some regions, naturally occurring nitrogen compounds in soil and bedrock contribute background nitrate levels to groundwater independent of agricultural activity.
Who Should Pay Closest Attention
Private well users in Tennessee's agricultural counties — particularly in middle and west Tennessee — should test for nitrate annually. Households with formula-fed infants should test their water before using it for formula preparation.
Households with infants under six months
Pregnant residents
Private well owners in agricultural areas
Households near livestock operations or CAFOs
Rural residents on shallow groundwater wells
Households with older or failing septic systems nearby
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 nitrate violations.
- 3
Review your utility's most recent Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) — mailed annually or available on the utility's website. It must disclose any MCL exceedances.
- 4
If you are on a private well, arrange testing at a Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC)-certified lab. Your state health department maintains a list of certified labs. Annual testing is recommended in agricultural areas.
- 5
If you have an infant under six months, use bottled water or a certified RO system (NSF/ANSI 58) immediately as a precautionary measure — do not wait for test results if you are in a high-risk area.
- 6
If your utility issues a nitrate exceedance notice, follow their guidance and do not use tap water for infants until the issue is resolved.
Treatment Options
Carbon filters and boiling do not remove nitrate. Only the options below are effective.
NSF/ANSI Standard 58 — Reverse Osmosis
RO systems certified to NSF/ANSI 58 reduce nitrate by 85–95% at the point of use. Under-sink installation required. The most practical residential option for nitrate concerns.
Distillation
Distillation units effectively remove nitrate along with most other dissolved contaminants. Suitable for drinking and cooking water — not whole-house use.
Anion Exchange
Ion exchange systems designed for nitrate removal exchange nitrate ions for chloride on a resin bed. Effective as a point-of-entry system; requires periodic regeneration and monitoring.
Carbon filters do NOT remove nitrate
Standard pitcher filters, faucet filters, and under-sink carbon units — including those certified NSF/ANSI 42 or 53 — do not remove nitrate. Do not use these for nitrate reduction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Pages
Nitrate — National Overview
All U.S. utilities with nitrate records
Tennessee State Overview
All utilities and water quality data
Lead in Drinking Water
A separate but common concern
Reverse Osmosis Guide
Removes 85–95% of nitrate
Well Water Guide
Private well testing and safety
All Contaminants
Complete reference library
Data Sources & Provenance
All data on this page is sourced from official U.S. government or public datasets.