TN / Oak Ridge
TN · Tap water records
Oak Ridge tap water, in plain English
Here is what the EPA's own data shows about tap water in Oak Ridge. According to EPA SDWIS data retrieved June 2026, Oak Ridge is served by 2 active community water systems, together reported to serve about 46,975 people.
As of June 2026, EPA records show 69 violations across the community water system(s) serving Oak Ridge, going back to the earliest EPA record. 6 of these are classified by the EPA as health-based (a contaminant recorded above the limit the EPA tracks); the rest are monitoring or reporting violations. Each is listed by system below, with its status.
What the EPA has on record, by system
Oak Ridge Dept Of Public Works
41,614 served · surface water · PWSID TN0000522 - Health-based Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule: a health-based violation (a contaminant recorded above the limit the EPA tracks), recorded 2 times in April 2019. The EPA record for these does not include a measured level. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in March 2023. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
- Monitoring Consumer Confidence Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times in July 2020. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Atrazine: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times in January 2014. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring 2,4-D: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times in January 2014. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
Oliver Springs Water Board
5,361 served · surface water · PWSID TN0000523 - Health-based Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule: a health-based violation (a contaminant recorded above the limit the EPA tracks), recorded 4 times in May 2024. The EPA record for these does not include a measured level. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
- Monitoring Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5): a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 9 times between April 2017 and October 2022. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
- Monitoring TTHM: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 9 times between April 2017 and October 2022. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
- Monitoring Consumer Confidence Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 5 times between July 2020 and October 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Surface Water Treatment Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 6 times between July 2018 and December 2019. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 20 times between May 2016 and May 2018. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
- Monitoring Public Notice: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between June 2015 and July 2017. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
- Monitoring Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in July 2017. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
- Monitoring Revised Total Coliform Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times in December 2016. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
- Monitoring Chlorine: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times in October 2016. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
What this means
A health-based violation means a contaminant was recorded above the limit the EPA tracks for it. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was late or missed — not that a contaminant was measured above a limit. “Returned to compliance” means the EPA recorded the issue as resolved.
This page summarizes the EPA's own records and does not assess whether your water is safe to drink. For the most current details, you can verify every record directly with the EPA, and contact your water system with questions.
Source: U.S. EPA Envirofacts SDWIS, retrieved June 2026. Records cover the EPA's full reporting history for these systems. Verify at EPA ECHO.