City water report · 2026

Is Knoxville Tap Water Safe? 2026 Water Quality Report

Short answer: No measured result is above a legal limit. 2 substances were detected and 29 were tested and not detected. The water is from Knoxville Utilities Board, serving 254,671 residents.

  • Year 2026
  • Utility Knoxville Utilities Board
  • Coverage 31 records
  • Updated 2026-09-16
Water utility

Where Knoxville’s water comes from

Utility
Knoxville Utilities Board
Water system
KNOXVILLE UTILITIES BOARD - KUB · TN0000366
Source water
Surface water
Disinfectant
not on record
Population served
254,671
Reporting period
Sampled 2023–2025
Monitoring coverage
31 records · 3 of 4 groups measured
Likely match, check your bill

6 water systems report serving Knoxville. This report uses the largest, KNOXVILLE UTILITIES BOARD - KUB. Your water bill names your actual supplier. Source: EPA SDWIS 2026Q2.

Why this matters
  1. 1
    Source

    Surface water

  2. 2
    Treatment

    The treatment details are not on record.

  3. 3
    Distribution

    Mains, then your building’s service line.

  4. 4
    Your tap

    Plumbing inside the building is outside this record.

At a glance

Knoxville water in four numbers

Purity ScoreKNOXVILLE UTILITIES BOARD - KUB · PWSID TN0000366
2Detectedwithin reference or no limit
0Above a referenceof 31 records
0Health-based violationslast 10 years · EPA SDWIS

No measured result is above a legal limit.

What we found

2 detected results, by distance from their limit

Lead (90th percentile)Within reference · Action level15 µg/L federal action level0.6µg/L
① · Measured

0.6 µg/L, sampled 2023–2025 monitoring period. EPA SDWIS (Lead & Copper Rule).

② · Compared

15 µg/L federal action level. EPA health goal (MCLG): 0.

③ · Meaning

The 90th-percentile tap result was 0.6 µg/L (below the 15 µg/L action level).

④ · Where it matters

Usually from lead service lines, solder and fixtures inside buildings, after the water leaves treatment.

⑤ · What to do

Test your own tap first. To reduce it: Lead-certified carbon filter, or reverse osmosis (NSF/ANSI 53 (lead)).

See the evidence record →
Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS)Within reference · Screening level2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory (screening, not a legal limit)3.7ng/L
① · Measured

3.7 ng/L, sampled 2024-01-23 to 2024-10-28. EPA UCMR 5.

② · Compared

2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory (screening, not a legal limit).

③ · Meaning

Detected at up to 3.7 ng/L (below the 2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory; a screening level, not a legal limit).

④ · Where it matters

Comes with the source water; home plumbing does not add it.

⑤ · What to do

Test your own tap first. To reduce it: Reverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFAS (NSF/ANSI 58 or 53, with PFBS named on the listing).

See the evidence record →
29 others tested, none detectedshow
  • 11Cl-PF3OUdS
  • 8:2 FTS
  • 4:2 FTS
  • 6:2 FTS
  • ADONA
  • 9Cl-PF3ONS
  • HFPO-DA (GenX)
  • Lithium
  • NEtFOSAA
  • NMeFOSAA
  • NFDHA
  • PFEESA
  • PFMPA
  • PFMBA
  • PFBA
  • PFDA
  • PFDoA
  • PFHpS
  • PFHpA
  • PFHxS
  • PFHxA
  • PFNA
  • PFOS
  • PFOA
  • PFPeS
  • PFPeA
  • PFTA
  • PFTrDA
  • PFUnA

KNOXVILLE UTILITIES BOARD - KUB (EPA PWSID TN0000366) delivers surface water to 254,671 residents. This report reflects 29 individual PFAS result(s) from the source UCMR5 observations and the latest Lead & Copper Rule 90th-percentile result. Water hardness and disinfectant type are pending the utility's own annual report.

Track record

0health-based violations in the last 10 years

From EPA SDWIS. A clean violation history means no enforcement action was recorded; it does not cover contaminants without a limit.

Not in this recordDisinfection by-products weren't monitored in this dataset

No result is not a pass. Your utility's annual water quality report may list them, and a certified lab test covers your own tap.

Your household

Your tap can differ from the city record

The record describes water leaving treatment and samples across the system. Pipes, solder and fixtures inside a building can add lead the record can’t see, especially in older buildings with lead service lines.

Test your water
  1. City
    Treated water

    Measured in this report

  2. Mains
    Distribution network

    Sampled across the system

  3. Building
    Service line and plumbing

    Not in this record

  4. Tap
    Your glass

    Only a tap test measures it

Treatment matching

What can reduce what was found here

FindingReference typeTechnologyCertification to check
Lead (90th percentile)0.6 µg/LAction levelLead-certified carbon filter, or reverse osmosisNSF/ANSI 53 (lead)
Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS)3.7 ng/LScreening levelReverse osmosis, or carbon certified for PFASNSF/ANSI 58 or 53, with PFBS named on the listing

Understand water treatment technologies →

Commercial

Filters for the PFAS found in Knoxville water

Affiliate links

★ Best available: Waterdrop G3P600 Reverse Osmosis System, the best fit here; nothing in this group is certified yet.

Filters for the PFAS found in Knoxville water
PickProductDetails and priceCertificationWhy it’s listedLink
★ Best availableReverse osmosisWaterdrop G3P600 Reverse Osmosis SystemWaterdrop · It treats only the drinking water at its own faucet, not the whole house, and its pump needs electrical power under the sink.TechnologyReverse osmosisPrice$$$Brand lab-tested, not independently certified for PFASSee the evidenceCheck price at Waterdrop
$ Budget pickReverse osmosisiSpring RCC7AK Alkaline Reverse Osmosis SystemiSpring · It treats only the water from its own faucet and sends part of the water to the drain; the NSF listing for the plain RCC7AK covers dissolved solids, not lead or PFAS.Use code REFISPRING at checkout: 10% off your first iSpring order.TechnologyReverse osmosisPrice$$Brand lab-tested, not independently certified for PFASSee the evidenceCheck price at iSpring
Also goodReverse osmosisiSpring RO5004F Tankless Reverse Osmosis System with UViSpring · Its PFAS and lead reduction claims are iSpring's own, with no third-party certification named for this model, and it treats only the water at its own faucet.Use code REFISPRING at checkout: 10% off your first iSpring order.TechnologyReverse osmosisPrice$$$Brand lab-tested, not independently certified for PFASSee the evidenceCheck price at iSpring
Also goodReverse osmosisWaterdrop G3P800 Tankless Reverse Osmosis SystemWaterdrop · It treats only the water at its own faucet, not the whole house, and still sends about one gallon to the drain for every three gallons it purifies.TechnologyReverse osmosisPrice$$$Brand lab-tested, not independently certified for PFASSee the evidenceCheck price at Waterdrop
See all 5 drinking-water options for PFAS
More drinking-water options for PFAS
PickProductDetails and priceCertificationWhy it’s listedLink
Also goodReverse osmosisWaterdrop X12 Reverse Osmosis SystemWaterdrop · Its IAPMO NSF/ANSI 58 certification covers TDS reduction only, so its PFAS and lead claims rest on Waterdrop's own SGS lab testing.TechnologyReverse osmosisPrice$$$$Brand lab-tested, not independently certified for PFASSee the evidenceCheck price at Waterdrop

★ Best available: iSpring WGB32B-PFKS PFAS & Heavy Metals Whole House Filter, the best fit here; nothing in this group is certified yet.

Filters for the PFAS found in Knoxville water
PickProductDetails and priceCertificationWhy it’s listedLink
★ Best availableWhole-houseiSpring WGB32B-PFKS PFAS & Heavy Metals Whole House FilteriSpring · It does not reduce total dissolved solids or soften hard water, and its PFAS result comes from SGS lab testing rather than an NSF/ANSI certification.Use code REFISPRING at checkout: 10% off your first iSpring order.Price$$$Brand lab-tested, not independently certified for PFASSee the evidenceCheck price at iSpring

Also: lead picks →

PurityMap earns a commission from these links. "Best choice" and "Budget pick" go to certified products first; commission never decides them. Affiliate disclosure.

Is this right for my home?

Choose your situation

Your situation
Your path: I live in an older buildingLead from plumbing is the main question

Older buildings may have lead service lines, solder or fixtures. Knoxville’s record shows lead at 0.6 µg/L (15 µg/L federal action level). Test first-draw water, then filter if needed.

Look forLead reduction: NSF/ANSI 53 (lead)
How to test your tap →
Your path: I care about PFASCheck what was tested

1 of 29 PFAS tested was detected in Knoxville’s record (PFBS 3.7 ng/L). If PFAS matters to you, a filter certification names each compound it covers.

Look forNSF/ANSI 58 or 53, with each compound you care about named on the listing
PFAS in Knoxville →
Your path: My water tastes of chlorineThe disinfectant is not in this record

Most utilities keep chlorine or chloramine in the pipes. A carbon filter certified for taste and odor reduces either; your utility can tell you which it uses.

Look forNSF/ANSI 42 (chlorine taste and odor)
Water treatment technologies →
Your path: I have scale or hard waterHardness is not in this record

Your utility’s annual water quality report usually lists hardness; a test strip also measures it.

Look forSoftener: NSF/ANSI 44 (softeners)
Hard water explained →
Your path: I want the broadest reductionReverse osmosis at one tap

Reverse osmosis reduces many dissolved contaminants, including lead and minerals, at a single faucet, with some water sent to drain.

Look forNSF/ANSI 58
Compare treatments →
Questions

Knoxville tap water FAQ

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Is Knoxville tap water safe to drink?

PurityMap does not give a safe/unsafe verdict; it shows what the public records measured. For Knoxville, PFAS were detected below their limits; the lead 90th-percentile result was 0.6 µg/L against the 15 µg/L action level. KNOXVILLE UTILITIES BOARD - KUB (PWSID TN0000366) has a Purity Score of 99/100 (confidence: moderate), assessed at the water-system level and computed only from contaminants that were measured. Water can change in your own pipes, so a certified test is the only way to know what comes out of your tap. What we found →

Who provides tap water in Knoxville?

KNOXVILLE UTILITIES BOARD - KUB (PWS ID TN0000366) is the public water system on record for Knoxville, Tennessee, serving about 254,671 people. Confirm the utility on your water bill before acting on a specific finding. Water utility →

Where does Knoxville get its drinking water?

Surface water (primary source of record in EPA SDWIS). Water utility →

Are PFAS "forever chemicals" in Knoxville's water?

In EPA's UCMR 5 testing (2024-01-23 to 2024-10-28), PFBS was detected at 3.7 ng/L, below the 2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory. What we found →

Is there lead in Knoxville's tap water?

KNOXVILLE UTILITIES BOARD - KUB's most recent lead 90th-percentile result (2023–2025) was 0.6 µg/L, below the 15 µg/L action level. That figure comes from sampled homes; lead usually enters from a building's own pipes and fixtures, so only a test at your tap tells you what you drink. Your household →

What does the latest Knoxville water report show?

PurityMap's current record for Knoxville holds 31 findings: 2 detected within the reference and 29 not detected. Each finding links to its dated public record; a parameter that was never monitored is shown as pending, not as a pass. Records →

Data and sources

31 records, each traceable

  • EPA UCMR 5
  • EPA SDWIS (Lead & Copper Rule)
ContaminantMeasuredReferenceSampledSource
Lead (90th percentile)0.6 µg/L15 µg/L federal action level2023–2025EPA SDWIS (Lead & Copper Rule) ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS)3.7 ng/L2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory (screening, not a legal limit)2024EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab)
11-Chloroeicosafluoro-3-oxaundecane-1-sulfonic acid (11Cl-PF3OUdS)< 5 ng/L (not detected)No federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab)
1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorodecane sulfonic acid (8:2 FTS)< 5 ng/L (not detected)No federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab)
1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (4:2 FTS)< 3 ng/L (not detected)No federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab)
1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (6:2 FTS)< 5 ng/L (not detected)No federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab)
4,8-Dioxa-3H-perfluorononanoic acid (ADONA)< 3 ng/L (not detected)No federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab)
9-Chlorohexadecafluoro-3-oxanone-1-sulfonic acid (9Cl-PF3ONS)< 2 ng/L (not detected)No federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA) (GenX chemicals)< 5 ng/L (not detected)10 ng/L federal MCL (2024)2024EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Lithium< 9 µg/L (not detected)10 µg/L EPA health reference level (screening, not a legal limit)2024EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab)
N-ethyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (NEtFOSAA)< 5 ng/L (not detected)No federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab)
N-methyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (NMeFOSAA)< 6 ng/L (not detected)No federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Nonafluoro-3,6-dioxaheptanoic acid (NFDHA)< 20 ng/L (not detected)No federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Perfluoro (2-ethoxyethane) sulfonic acid (PFEESA)< 3 ng/L (not detected)No federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Perfluoro-3-methoxypropanoic acid (PFMPA)< 4 ng/L (not detected)No federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Perfluoro-4-methoxybutanoic acid (PFMBA)< 3 ng/L (not detected)No federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA)< 5 ng/L (not detected)No federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA)< 3 ng/L (not detected)No federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA)< 3 ng/L (not detected)No federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid (PFHpS)< 3 ng/L (not detected)No federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA)< 3 ng/L (not detected)No federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS)< 3 ng/L (not detected)10 ng/L federal MCL (2024)2024EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA)< 3 ng/L (not detected)400,000 ng/L Michigan EGLE state MCL (strictest US state)2024EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA)< 4 ng/L (not detected)10 ng/L federal MCL (2024)2024EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)< 4 ng/L (not detected)4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)2024EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)< 4 ng/L (not detected)4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)2024EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Perfluoropentanesulfonic acid (PFPeS)< 4 ng/L (not detected)No federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA)< 3 ng/L (not detected)No federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Perfluorotetradecanoic acid (PFTA)< 8 ng/L (not detected)No federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA)< 7 ng/L (not detected)No federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnA)< 2 ng/L (not detected)No federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024EPA UCMR 5 ↗ (opens in a new tab)
  • UCMR5 Analytical Results

    UCMR5 Analytical Results: KNOXVILLE UTILITIES BOARD - KUB (TN0000366)

    US EPA

    Published
    2026-01-15
    Newest sample
    2024-10-28
    Findings here
    30
  • State SDWIS Compliance Record

    Lead & Copper Rule 90th-percentile: KNOXVILLE UTILITIES BOARD - KUB (TN0000366)

    US EPA SDWIS

    Published
    2026-07-09
    Newest sample
    2025
    Findings here
    1

Methodology: how we analyze water. Prepared with AI assistance and reviewed by the PurityMap Editorial Team before publication.

Methodology

How PurityMap reads Knoxville’s water

  1. 01Source data

    EPA SDWIS, EPA UCMR 5 and utility reports, each dated and linked.

  2. 02Normalize

    Units converted to one basis; a non-detect kept distinct from zero.

  3. 03Classify

    Each result tagged by reference type: MCL, action level, screening level or aesthetic.

  4. 04Compare to the named reference

    Every value sits against its own reference, never a blended one.

  5. 05Score

    Measured subjects summarised at the water-system level; an open health-based violation caps the score.

  6. 06Match treatment

    Treatment is matched to what was found; a product is called certified only when its current certification names it.

What the Purity Score means: a summary of this water system’s published record, capped while a health-based violation is open. It is not a test of any tap. KNOXVILLE UTILITIES BOARD - KUB · PWSID TN0000366 · Purity Score 99/100 (Excellent) · Confidence: moderate · Assessed at the water-system level

Full methodology →

ZIP codes in Knoxville

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