PFAS · Tennessee
PFAS in Tennessee drinking water: EPA’s final survey results
EPA’s national PFAS survey (UCMR 5) tested 275 of the community water systems that serve homes in Tennessee. 86 found at least one of 29 PFAS above the laboratory reporting level, and 17 had a PFOA or PFOS sampling-location yearly average at or above EPA’s 4.0 ppt limit. Samples were collected from January 2023 to May 2026.
Data as of EPA UCMR 5 final release, August 2026 (file dated Aug 28, 2026) · EPA SDWIS 2026Q2 (file dated Jul 9, 2026). How we build these pages
PFBS was the compound Tennessee community systems found most often: 54 of 275 tested systems measured it above the reporting level. Across the country, 35% of surveyed community systems found at least one PFAS; in Tennessee the share is 31%. The largest Tennessee system with a detection, Knoxville Utilities Board - Kub, serves 254,671 people and found 1 of the 29 compounds.
Which PFAS were found most often in Tennessee
Each row counts the Tennessee community water systems where that compound was measured above the reporting level at least once. A detection is a measurement, not a violation: most of these compounds have no federal limit.
| Compound | Systems where found | Systems tested | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFBS | 54 | 275 | 20% |
| PFBA | 49 | 275 | 18% |
| PFHxA | 32 | 275 | 12% |
| PFOS | 31 | 275 | 11% |
| PFPeA | 28 | 275 | 10% |
| PFOA | 25 | 275 | 9% |
| PFHpA | 13 | 275 | 5% |
| PFHxS | 11 | 275 | 4% |
| 6:2 FTS | 3 | 275 | 1% |
| PFDA | 2 | 275 | 1% |
Tennessee systems with the most PFAS found
The 10 surveyed community water systems that found the most different PFAS, with PFOA and PFOS compared to EPA’s 4.0 ppt limits on the yearly average at the highest sampling location. Larger systems come first when counts tie.
| Water system | People served | PFAS found (of 29) | PFOA | PFOS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Savannah Valley U.D. TN0000613 | 30,571 | 8 | 32.0 ppt at or above the MCL | 16.5 ppt at or above the MCL |
| Manchester Water Department TN0000429 | 24,975 | 8 | 4.4 ppt at or above the MCL | 1.7 ppt below the MCL |
| First U.D. of Hardin County TN0000546 | 7,388 | 8 | 9.6 ppt at or above the MCL | 16.2 ppt at or above the MCL |
| Fort Campbell Water System TN0000820 | 43,270 | 7 | 5.8 ppt at or above the MCL | 24.8 ppt at or above the MCL |
| Tullahoma Utilities Authority TN0000715 | 30,958 | 7 | 8.6 ppt at or above the MCL | 3.3 ppt below the MCL |
| Marshall Co B.P.U. #1 TN0000105 | 13,257 | 7 | 2.8 ppt below the MCL | 1.3 ppt below the MCL |
| Hillsville Utility District TN0000430 | 11,325 | 7 | 8.7 ppt at or above the MCL | 5.9 ppt at or above the MCL |
| Camden Water Dept TN0000090 | 10,013 | 7 | 7.6 ppt at or above the MCL | 16.1 ppt at or above the MCL |
| Wartrace Water System TN0000730 | 3,576 | 7 | 9.0 ppt at or above the MCL | 4.1 ppt at or above the MCL |
| Shelbyville Water System TN0000628 | 36,813 | 6 | 5.8 ppt at or above the MCL | 4.1 ppt at or above the MCL |
Counties with the most systems that found PFAS
- Hamilton County 6 of 8 surveyed systems
- Roane County 5 of 7 surveyed systems
- Jefferson County 5 of 5 surveyed systems
- Rutherford County 4 of 4 surveyed systems
- Maury County 3 of 4 surveyed systems
- Coffee County 3 of 3 surveyed systems
- Bedford County 3 of 3 surveyed systems
- Knox County 2 of 6 surveyed systems