Chattanooga, TN: 60 Violations — 74/100 (2026)
20 ZIP codes · 9 water systems · Updated 2026-06-03
Water systems in Chattanooga, TN serve households with few reported safety events.
How Chattanooga Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
Water Quality Map: Chattanooga, TN
Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.
Score Distribution
How ZIP codes in Chattanooga score across all safety grades.
What You Should Know About Chattanooga Water
- Your city's water systems recorded 60 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.001 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 68% — older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,995 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 13.52 — above typical levels.
Who Supplies Your Water in Chattanooga
Federal records list 9 water systems tied to Chattanooga, TN. Of those, 3 are the primary providers, meaning service conditions, rate structures, and compliance histories can differ depending on where a property sits.
Overview
We track water quality and home safety data for 20 ZIP codes in Chattanooga, Tennessee (population ~213,011), covering 9 community water systems serving approximately 387,233 people region-wide.
20 of 20 ZIP codes (100%) have recorded EPA violations. All violations are monitoring/reporting type.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Chattanooga: B (74/100)
The score combines three factors:
| Factor | What It Measures |
|---|---|
| Water Quality | EPA violations and compliance history |
| Lead Levels | 90th percentile lead concentration vs EPA action level |
| Radon Risk | EPA radon zone classification |
Water Sources
Chattanooga water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0010 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 ZIP codes exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 2 (Moderate Risk)
- Zone 1 (High): 0 ZIP codes
- Zone 2 (Moderate): 20 ZIP codes
- Zone 3 (Low): 0 ZIP codes
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment Technique | 63 | 20 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37401 | B | 3 | 0 | Tennessee American Water |
| 37402 | B | 3 | 0 | Tennessee American Water |
| 37403 | B | 3 | 0 | Tennessee American Water |
| 37404 | C | 3 | 0 | Tennessee American Water |
| 37405 | C | 3 | 0 | Tennessee American Water |
| 37406 | B | 3 | 0 | Tennessee American Water |
| 37407 | B | 3 | 0 | Tennessee American Water |
| 37408 | B | 3 | 0 | Tennessee American Water |
| 37409 | B | 3 | 0 | Tennessee American Water |
| 37410 | B | 3 | 0 | Tennessee American Water |
All ZIP Codes in Chattanooga
- 37401 [B] — 3 violations
- 37402 [B] — 3 violations
- 37403 [B] — 3 violations
- 37404 [C] — 3 violations
- 37405 [C] — 3 violations
- 37406 [B] — 3 violations
- 37407 [B] — 3 violations
- 37408 [B] — 3 violations
- 37409 [B] — 3 violations
- 37410 [B] — 3 violations
- 37411 [C] — 3 violations
- 37412 [C] — 3 violations
- 37414 [B] — 3 violations
- 37415 [C] — 3 violations
- 37416 [B] — 3 violations
- 37419 [C] — 3 violations
- 37421 [C] — 3 violations
- 37422 [B] — 3 violations
- 37424 [B] — 3 violations
- 37450 [B] — 3 violations
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- Lead/copper: EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data
- Radon: EPA Map of Radon Zones
Updated daily.
Health Outcomes in Chattanooga
Source: CDC PLACES (County-level estimates). Water contamination can correlate with respiratory and chronic health conditions.
Compared to National Average
Vertical line = national average. ■ Above national · ■ Below national
Top Contaminants in Chattanooga Water
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Housing & Infrastructure in Chattanooga
With 68% of homes built before 1986, lead solder in plumbing is a potential concern. The EPA banned lead solder in 1986, but many older homes retain original plumbing.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).
Housing Age Profile
Pre-1986 plumbing is not a rare legacy case in Chattanooga — it's the dominant profile. The median build year of 1963 indicates a housing stock where lead-soldered copper joints are a common structural feature of residences across the city.
Over half of homes in Chattanooga were built before 1986, when lead solder was banned. Older plumbing may leach lead into drinking water, especially with corrosive water chemistry.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034.
Cost Context: What Remediation Means for Chattanooga Homeowners
For most homeowners in Chattanooga, the estimated cost of water and safety remediation represents a proportionally modest share of what properties are worth — placing this area in the lower tier of the remediation share scale.
Remediation costs in Chattanooga are relatively low compared to home values. The $1,040–$3,210 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 10% above the Tennessee average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Chattanooga
Why children are most at risk: The CDC states there is no safe level of lead exposure for children. Children under 6 absorb lead more readily than adults, and even low levels can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral problems.
68% — that captures the slice of Chattanooga housing dating from before the federal ban on solder containing lead. It pairs with aggregate utility readings that either approach or cross 0.015 mg/L, the benchmark set under the EPA Lead and Copper Rule. Together, the two figures shift one-home reads into a standard household-level confirmation, particularly for families with kids. A certified lead-removal filter is available through retailer-verified channels if a kit returns results that warrant additional measures.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Flood & Climate Risk in Chattanooga
Chattanooga's flood profile — 1517 NFIP claims over the program's multi-decade period and 80% of ZIP codes within FEMA-designated flood zones — reflects a community where flooding has shaped the local risk landscape in sustained ways. That sustained exposure has specific consequences for water quality that don't apply to lower-exposure areas. Treatment facilities handling intake from flood-saturated watersheds face contaminant loads that can exceed normal filtration capacity. Private wells in FEMA-designated zones face surface infiltration risk during every significant event. Distribution systems in areas that flood repeatedly accumulate backflow stress over time. None of these represent constant threats to water quality, but they are activated by the kinds of events that the NFIP record shows have occurred here, repeatedly, over many years.
Chattanooga has a significant flood history with 1,517 FEMA flood insurance claims on record, averaging $22,930 per claim. With 80% of ZIP codes in FEMA-designated flood zones, flood risk is a major concern for homeowners and water quality.
How flooding affects water quality: Flood events can introduce sewage, agricultural runoff, and industrial chemicals into water supplies. Even after floodwaters recede, contamination can persist in wells and aging infrastructure. Flood damage can add significantly to the estimated <strong>$1,995</strong> remediation cost per household.
Residents in flood-prone areas should consider flood insurance even outside FEMA zones — over 25% of flood claims come from low-to-moderate risk areas. After any flood event, test your water before drinking.
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data, FEMA flood zone designations.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Chattanooga, TN