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Community Water System · PWS TN0000651

South Pittsburg Water System

South Pittsburg, Tennessee 37380 - drinking water served from surface water sources to 7,304 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.

7,304
People served
67
EPA violations
17
Health-based
2 PFAS
UCMR5 result

The verdict

EPA records 67 drinking-water violations at South Pittsburg Water System, 25% of them health-based - above the Tennessee per-system average, and UCMR5 testing detected 2 PFAS compounds.

67
Total EPA violations on record
25%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
7,304
People served by this system
2
PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)

Water Quality Snapshot: South Pittsburg Water System

South Pittsburg Water System is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 7,304 residents in South Pittsburg, Tennessee (Marion County) through 2,945 service connections. Its water is drawn from surface water sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 67 total violations for this system , of which 17 (25%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 43 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2008.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), recorded in 13 violations (MCL, health-based). Under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program, 2 PFAS compounds were detected in samples collected from this system, with a maximum reported concentration of 8.5 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%).

South Pittsburg Water System's 67 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.

PFAS Detected

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

Population Served
7,304
Total Violations
67
Health-Based Violations
17
Water Source
Surface Water

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
2,945
County
Marion
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
17
Monitoring Violations
43
Treatment Tech Violations
0

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MCL 13 2008
TTHM MR 4 2007
Coliform (TCR) MCL 4 2002
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MR 4 2007
Coliform (TCR) MR 3 1996
CARBON, TOTAL MR 3 2005
Public Notice Other 2 2002
Benzene MR 2 1993
Chromium MR 1 1982
Nitrate MR 1 1982
Mercury MR 1 1982
Arsenic MR 1 1982
p-Dichlorobenzene MR 1 1989
1,2-Dichloroethane MR 1 1989
1,1-Dichloroethylene MR 1 1989
1,1,1-Trichloroethane MR 1 1989
Trichloroethylene MR 1 1989
Vinyl chloride MR 1 1989
CHLOROBENZENE MR 1 1989
o-Dichlorobenzene MR 1 1989
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene MR 1 1989
1,2-Dichloropropane MR 1 1989
Styrene MR 1 1989
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene MR 1 1989
trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene MR 1 1989
Carbon tetrachloride MR 1 1989
Selenium MR 1 1982
Ethylbenzene MR 1 1989
Tetrachloroethylene MR 1 1989
Toluene MR 1 1989

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 2 of 116 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
PFUnA 9/24/2024 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 9/24/2024 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 9/24/2024 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 9/24/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 9/24/2024 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 9/24/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 9/24/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 9/24/2024 3.60 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
PFHpA 9/24/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 9/24/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 9/24/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 9/24/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 9/24/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 9/24/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 9/24/2024 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 9/24/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 9/24/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 9/24/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 9/24/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 9/24/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 9/24/2024 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 9/24/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 9/24/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 9/24/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 9/24/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 9/24/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 9/24/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 9/24/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 9/24/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 7/15/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 7/15/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 7/15/2024 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 7/15/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 7/15/2024 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 7/15/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 7/15/2024 8.50 ppt 5.00 ppt Detected
PFPeS 7/15/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 7/15/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 7/15/2024 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 7/15/2024 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 7/15/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 7/15/2024 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 7/15/2024 <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 South Pittsburg 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 TN0000651 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 South Pittsburg 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
2008 Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MCL 13 SDWIS / TN0000651 / 2456
2007 TTHM MR 4 SDWIS / TN0000651 / 2950
2007 Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MR 4 SDWIS / TN0000651 / 2456
2005 CARBON, TOTAL MR 3 SDWIS / TN0000651 / 2920
2002 Coliform (TCR) MCL 4 SDWIS / TN0000651 / 3100
2002 Public Notice Other 2 SDWIS / TN0000651 / 7500
1996 Coliform (TCR) MR 3 SDWIS / TN0000651 / 3100
1993 Benzene MR 2 SDWIS / TN0000651 / 2990
1989 p-Dichlorobenzene MR 1 SDWIS / TN0000651 / 2969
1989 1,2-Dichloroethane MR 1 SDWIS / TN0000651 / 2980
1989 1,1-Dichloroethylene MR 1 SDWIS / TN0000651 / 2977
1989 1,1,1-Trichloroethane MR 1 SDWIS / TN0000651 / 2981
1989 Trichloroethylene MR 1 SDWIS / TN0000651 / 2984
1989 Vinyl chloride MR 1 SDWIS / TN0000651 / 2976
1989 CHLOROBENZENE MR 1 SDWIS / TN0000651 / 2989

How South Pittsburg Water System Compares

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

Metric South Pittsburg Water System Tennessee avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 67 56.8 SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 17 12.4 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection 2 compounds 33.6% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 7,304 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 South Pittsburg Water System water safe to drink?
South Pittsburg Water System (PWS ID: TN0000651) has 67 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. PFAS contamination has been detected in UCMR5 testing, with 2 PFAS compounds found. This system serves 7,304 people using Surface Water sources.
How many people does South Pittsburg Water System serve?
South Pittsburg Water System serves 7,304 people in South Pittsburg, Tennessee. It is a Local-owned system using Surface Water water sources with 2,945 service connections.
What type of violations does South Pittsburg Water System have?
South Pittsburg Water System has 67 total violations: 17 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 43 monitoring/reporting violations, and 0 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in South Pittsburg Water System water?
Yes. UCMR5 testing detected 2 PFAS compounds in South Pittsburg Water System's water supply: PFBS, PFBA. PFAS are persistent "forever chemicals" that do not break down in the environment.
What water source does South Pittsburg Water System use?
South Pittsburg 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.
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.