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Community Water System · PWS TN0000559

Portland Water System

Portland, Tennessee 37148 - drinking water served from surface water sources to 23,509 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.

23,509
People served
111
EPA violations
32
Health-based
No PFAS
UCMR5 result

The verdict

EPA records 111 drinking-water violations at Portland Water System, 29% of them health-based - above the Tennessee per-system average.

111
Total EPA violations on record
29%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
23,509
People served by this system
0
PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)

Water Quality Snapshot: Portland Water System

Portland Water System is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 23,509 residents in Portland, Tennessee (Sumner County) through 8,675 service connections. Its water is drawn from surface water sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 111 total violations for this system , of which 32 (29%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 74 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2022.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule, recorded in 51 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%).

Portland Water System's 111 violations sit above 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
23,509
Total Violations
111
Health-Based Violations
32
Water Source
Surface Water

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
8,675
County
Sumner
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
8
Monitoring Violations
74
Treatment Tech Violations
24

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule MR 51 2005
Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule TT 24 2002
Coliform (TCR) MCL 8 2004
CARBON, TOTAL MR 8 2006
Atrazine MR 4 2022
Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule Other 3 2019
Chlorine MR 3 2002
Fluoride MR 1 1980
Cadmium MR 1 1980
Mercury MR 1 1980
Barium MR 1 1980
Nitrate MR 1 1980
Arsenic MR 1 1980
Selenium MR 1 1980
Chromium MR 1 1980

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 0 of 116 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
PFHpS 7/20/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 7/20/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 7/20/2023 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 7/20/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 7/20/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 7/20/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 7/20/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 7/20/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 7/20/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 7/20/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 7/20/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 7/20/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 7/20/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 7/20/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 7/20/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 7/20/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 7/20/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 7/20/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 7/20/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 7/20/2023 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 7/20/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 7/20/2023 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 7/20/2023 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 7/20/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 7/20/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 7/20/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 7/20/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 7/20/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 7/20/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 4/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 4/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 4/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 4/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 4/25/2023 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 4/25/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 4/25/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 4/25/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 4/25/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 4/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 4/25/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 4/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 4/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 4/25/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 4/25/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 4/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 4/25/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 4/25/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 4/25/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 4/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 4/25/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 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 Portland Water System.

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 TN0000559 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 Portland Water System 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
2022 Atrazine MR 4 SDWIS / TN0000559 / 2050
2019 Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule Other 3 SDWIS / TN0000559 / 0300
2006 CARBON, TOTAL MR 8 SDWIS / TN0000559 / 2920
2005 Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule MR 51 SDWIS / TN0000559 / 0300
2004 Coliform (TCR) MCL 8 SDWIS / TN0000559 / 3100
2002 Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule TT 24 SDWIS / TN0000559 / 0300
2002 Chlorine MR 3 SDWIS / TN0000559 / 0999
1980 Fluoride MR 1 SDWIS / TN0000559 / 1025
1980 Cadmium MR 1 SDWIS / TN0000559 / 1015
1980 Mercury MR 1 SDWIS / TN0000559 / 1035
1980 Barium MR 1 SDWIS / TN0000559 / 1010
1980 Nitrate MR 1 SDWIS / TN0000559 / 1040
1980 Arsenic MR 1 SDWIS / TN0000559 / 1005
1980 Selenium MR 1 SDWIS / TN0000559 / 1045
1980 Chromium MR 1 SDWIS / TN0000559 / 1020

How Portland Water System Compares

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

Metric Portland Water System Tennessee avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 111 56.8 SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 32 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 23,509 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 Portland Water System water safe to drink? ▼
Portland Water System (PWS ID: TN0000559) has 111 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. No PFAS contamination was detected in UCMR5 testing. This system serves 23,509 people using Surface Water sources.
How many people does Portland Water System serve? ▼
Portland Water System serves 23,509 people in Portland, Tennessee. It is a Local-owned system using Surface Water water sources with 8,675 service connections.
What type of violations does Portland Water System have? ▼
Portland Water System has 111 total violations: 32 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 74 monitoring/reporting violations, and 24 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in Portland Water System water? ▼
No. Portland Water System was tested for PFAS under the EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program and no PFAS contamination was detected.
What water source does Portland Water System use? ▼
Portland Water System 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.