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Community Water System · PWS TN0000491

Murfreesboro Water Department

Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37133 - drinking water served from surface water sources to 111,365 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.

111,365
People served
34
EPA violations
4
Health-based
5 PFAS
UCMR5 result

The verdict

EPA records 34 drinking-water violations at Murfreesboro Water Department, 12% of them health-based - below the Tennessee per-system average, and UCMR5 testing detected 5 PFAS compounds.

34
Total EPA violations on record
12%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
111,365
People served by this system
5
PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)

Water Quality Snapshot: Murfreesboro Water Department

Murfreesboro Water Department is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 111,365 residents in Murfreesboro, Tennessee (Rutherford County) through 40,204 service connections. Its water is drawn from surface water sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 34 total violations for this system , of which 4 (12%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 23 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2023.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Chlorine, recorded in 5 violations (MR). Under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program, 5 PFAS compounds were detected in samples collected from this system, with a maximum reported concentration of 13.9 ppt (parts per trillion). PFAS are persistent synthetic chemicals linked to health effects at very low exposure levels.

Across Tennessee, EPA tracks 762 public water systems serving 7,934,203 people, with 43,318 cumulative violations and 9,414 health-based violations on record. About 94% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 56.8 violations. Statewide, 93 of 277 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (33.6%).

Murfreesboro Water Department's 34 violations sit below the Tennessee average.

All figures above are sourced directly from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 public data releases and are updated as EPA publishes new reporting cycles.

PFAS Detected

5 PFAS "forever chemicals" detected in testing under EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program.

Population Served
111,365
Total Violations
34
Health-Based Violations
4
Water Source
Surface Water

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
40,204
County
Rutherford
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
4
Monitoring Violations
23
Treatment Tech Violations
0

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
Chlorine MR 5 2008
Coliform (TCR) MR 5 2008
Atrazine MR 5 2006
Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule Other 4 2017
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MR 4 2022
TTHM MR 4 2022
Revised Total Coliform Rule MCL 4 2023
Public Notice Other 2 2023

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 5 of 116 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
9Cl-PF3ONS 8/10/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 8/10/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 8/10/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 8/10/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 8/10/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 8/10/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 8/10/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 8/10/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 8/10/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 8/10/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 8/10/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 8/10/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 8/10/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 8/10/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 8/10/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 8/10/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 8/10/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 8/10/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 8/10/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 8/10/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 8/10/2023 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 8/10/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 8/10/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 8/10/2023 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 8/10/2023 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 8/10/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 8/10/2023 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 8/10/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 8/10/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 5/30/2023 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 5/30/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 5/30/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 5/30/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 5/30/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 5/30/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 5/30/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 5/30/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 5/30/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 5/30/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 5/30/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 5/30/2023 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 5/30/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 5/30/2023 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 5/30/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 5/30/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 5/30/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 5/30/2023 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 5/30/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 5/30/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 5/30/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected

Verify This Water System

The figures above are aggregated from EPA's public databases. To verify the underlying records, or to file a complaint, request a Consumer Confidence Report, or check current monitoring status, go directly to the federal and state regulators that enforce the Safe Drinking Water Act for Murfreesboro Water Department.

Federal Source of Truth

EPA SDWIS, Federal Reports

EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) holds the federal compliance record for every regulated public water system. Open the system-level report by PWS ID:

View PWS ID TN0000491 on SDWIS

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search

State Regulator

Tennessee Drinking Water Authority

Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation, Drinking Water is the primacy agency that licenses and inspects Murfreesboro Water Department under EPA-delegated authority.

Open TN regulator portal

Source: Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation, Drinking Water

Violation Timeline

Each row links to the EPA SDWIS public record for verification. Cross-reference the contaminant code on EPA's federal report to see violation dates, return-to-compliance status, and enforcement actions.

Year (latest) Contaminant Category Count EPA Record
2023 Revised Total Coliform Rule MCL 4 SDWIS / TN0000491 / 8000
2023 Public Notice Other 2 SDWIS / TN0000491 / 7500
2022 Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MR 4 SDWIS / TN0000491 / 2456
2022 TTHM MR 4 SDWIS / TN0000491 / 2950
2017 Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule Other 4 SDWIS / TN0000491 / 0300
2008 Chlorine MR 5 SDWIS / TN0000491 / 0999
2008 Coliform (TCR) MR 5 SDWIS / TN0000491 / 3100
2006 Atrazine MR 5 SDWIS / TN0000491 / 2050

How Murfreesboro Water Department Compares

Cross-reference this system's record against state averages and the federal MCL framework for context.

Metric Murfreesboro Water Department Tennessee avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 34 56.8 SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 4 12.4 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection 5 compounds 33.6% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 111,365 10,412 Sizing context for compliance burden

Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 762 regulated public water systems in Tennessee.

Federal MCL reference, Safe Drinking Water Act thresholds ▼
Contaminant Federal MCL / Action Level Note
Lead 0 mg/L (Action Level: 0.015 mg/L) Lead and Copper Rule treatment technique
Arsenic 0.010 mg/L (10 ppb) Health-based MCL since 2006
Total Coliform Treatment technique (RTCR) Indicator organism, monitoring trigger
PFOA / PFOS (PFAS) 4.0 ppt each (final 2024 rule) Compliance deadline 2029 (EPA proposed extending to 2031, not yet final as of May 2026)
Nitrate (as N) 10 mg/L Acute health risk for infants

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Murfreesboro Water Department water safe to drink? ▼
Murfreesboro Water Department (PWS ID: TN0000491) has 34 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. PFAS contamination has been detected in UCMR5 testing, with 5 PFAS compounds found. This system serves 111,365 people using Surface Water sources.
How many people does Murfreesboro Water Department serve? ▼
Murfreesboro Water Department serves 111,365 people in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. It is a Local-owned system using Surface Water water sources with 40,204 service connections.
What type of violations does Murfreesboro Water Department have? ▼
Murfreesboro Water Department has 34 total violations: 4 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 23 monitoring/reporting violations, and 0 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in Murfreesboro Water Department water? ▼
Yes. UCMR5 testing detected 5 PFAS compounds in Murfreesboro Water Department's water supply: PFBA, PFPeA, PFBS, PFHxA, PFOA. PFAS are persistent "forever chemicals" that do not break down in the environment.
What water source does Murfreesboro Water Department use? ▼
Murfreesboro Water Department uses Surface Water as its primary water source. It is classified as a Community Water System (CWS), serving residential populations year-round.
Where does this data come from? ▼
All data comes from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and the UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program. SDWIS tracks compliance for all public water systems regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Data Sources: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), Q4 2025. PFAS data from EPA UCMR5 monitoring program (2023-2025). This data is provided for informational purposes only.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Data sourced from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 PFAS monitoring data. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainWater Editorial

Every figure on PlainWater is rendered directly from EPA SDWIS drinking-water data, no number is typed in by an editor. This system's figures are rendered directly from EPA SDWIS data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.