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Community Water System · PWS TN0000494

Metro Water Services

Nashville, Tennessee 37208 - drinking water served from surface water sources to 778,153 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.

778,153
People served
36
EPA violations
8
Health-based
No PFAS
UCMR5 result

The verdict

EPA records 36 drinking-water violations at Metro Water Services, 22% of them health-based - below the Tennessee per-system average.

36
Total EPA violations on record
22%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
778,153
People served by this system
0
PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)

Water Quality Snapshot: Metro Water Services

Metro Water Services is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 778,153 residents in Nashville, Tennessee (Davidson County) through 336,863 service connections. Its water is drawn from surface water sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 36 total violations for this system , of which 8 (22%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 24 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2024.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Chlorine, recorded in 8 violations (MR). This system was sampled under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program and no PFAS compounds were detected above the minimum reporting level.

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%).

Metro Water Services's 36 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.

Population Served
778,153
Total Violations
36
Health-Based Violations
8
Water Source
Surface Water

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
336,863
County
Davidson
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
0
Monitoring Violations
24
Treatment Tech Violations
8

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
Chlorine MR 8 2024
Revised Total Coliform Rule MON 8 2024
Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule TT 4 2005
Surface Water Treatment Rule TT 4 2012
Coliform (TCR) MR 4 2012
Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule MR 4 2002

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 0 of 232 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
PFDoA 8/22/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 8/22/2023 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 8/22/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 8/22/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 8/22/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 8/22/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 8/22/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 8/22/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 8/22/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 8/22/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 8/22/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 8/22/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 8/22/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 8/22/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 8/22/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 8/22/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 8/22/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 8/22/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 8/22/2023 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 8/22/2023 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 8/22/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 8/22/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 8/22/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 8/22/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 8/22/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 8/22/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 8/22/2023 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 8/22/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 8/22/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 8/22/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 8/22/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 8/22/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 8/22/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 8/22/2023 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 8/22/2023 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 8/22/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 8/22/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 8/22/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 8/22/2023 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 8/22/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 8/22/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 8/22/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 8/22/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 8/22/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 8/22/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 8/22/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 8/22/2023 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 8/22/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 8/22/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 8/22/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 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 Metro Water Services.

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 TN0000494 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 Metro Water Services 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
2024 Chlorine MR 8 SDWIS / TN0000494 / 0999
2024 Revised Total Coliform Rule MON 8 SDWIS / TN0000494 / 8000
2012 Surface Water Treatment Rule TT 4 SDWIS / TN0000494 / 0200
2012 Coliform (TCR) MR 4 SDWIS / TN0000494 / 3100
2005 Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule TT 4 SDWIS / TN0000494 / 0300
2002 Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule MR 4 SDWIS / TN0000494 / 0300

How Metro Water Services Compares

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

Metric Metro Water Services Tennessee avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 36 56.8 SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 8 12.4 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection None 33.6% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 778,153 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 Metro Water Services water safe to drink? ▼
Metro Water Services (PWS ID: TN0000494) has 36 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. No PFAS contamination was detected in UCMR5 testing. This system serves 778,153 people using Surface Water sources.
How many people does Metro Water Services serve? ▼
Metro Water Services serves 778,153 people in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a Local-owned system using Surface Water water sources with 336,863 service connections.
What type of violations does Metro Water Services have? ▼
Metro Water Services has 36 total violations: 8 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 24 monitoring/reporting violations, and 8 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in Metro Water Services water? ▼
No. Metro Water Services was tested for PFAS under the EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program and no PFAS contamination was detected.
What water source does Metro Water Services use? ▼
Metro Water Services 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.