Monitoring Violations TN

Cleveland Utilities

EPA ID: TN0000117 · 95,087 people served · 9 ZIP codes

Tallying the federal enforcement file for Cleveland Utilities yields 1 open violation that have not been formally closed — each finding sits in the EPA database while the utility continues to deliver water to approximately 95,087 residents and works through the required corrective action process.

Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02

C · 61
Avg Safety Score
95,087
People Served
9
ZIP Codes Served
1
Violations (5yr)
Surface Water
Water Source
0.002 mg/L
Max Lead Level
Zone 1
Radon Risk · High
1
Contaminants Flagged
$216K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Service Area Map

Coverage area for Cleveland Utilities Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary — Grade C

Service Area Demographics

$67,538
Median Household Income
117,476
Service Area Population
37%
Disadvantaged Population
52th
Poverty Percentile
52th
Energy Burden Percentile
47%
Pre-1986 Housing

The Cleveland Utilities serves a community with a median household income of $67,538 and an estimated 117,476 residents across its service area. Approximately 47% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

Environmental Justice Note: 37% of the population in this service area is classified as disadvantaged under EPA's EJScreen criteria. Communities with higher disadvantaged populations often face disproportionate environmental and health burdens, including aging water infrastructure and limited resources for remediation.

🌊 Where Does Your Water Come From?

Surface Water

Cleveland Utilities's water is drawn from rivers, lakes, or reservoirs. Surface water sources are more exposed to agricultural runoff, stormwater, and upstream discharges, but they typically receive more intensive treatment before reaching your tap.

Elevated Risk
Source Contamination Risk
31th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
19th
Superfund Site Proximity

About 4% of homes in Polk County, Tennessee rely on private wells rather than public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own water testing and treatment.

Infrastructure Risk

41 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Copper
Pipe Material
28 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Stable
Decay Status
Installed 59% of expected lifespan used End of life

Detected Contaminants

How Cleveland Utilities compares to EPA limits

What This Means For You

Surface Water Treatment Rule at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.

PFAS Detected in Service Area

PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been detected in water serving this system's area. 27 detections recorded. 4 exceed federal EPA limits (4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS). 4 exceed state limits.

State limits: PFOA: 0.004 ppt, PFOS: 0.004 ppt
Health concern: PFAS are linked to cancer, thyroid disease, immune suppression, and developmental effects. They do not break down naturally.
Recommended filter: Reverse osmosis (RO) or activated carbon filters certified for PFAS removal. Find the right filter →

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in Tennessee

Jackson Water System
91,111 people
C 4 violations
C 0 violations
C 2 violations
B 0 violations
Hallsdale-powell U.d.
84,315 people
C 3 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Radon Mitigation Flood Insurance PFAS Treatment
Radon Mitigation $1,022
Flood Insurance $800
PFAS Treatment $356
Total Estimated Cost $2,178

Based on national averages for common remediation projects. Actual costs vary by property. Only issues flagged by EPA, FEMA, or state data for each ZIP code are included.

Cost of Inaction

If water quality issues in this service area are not addressed, the estimated financial impact per household is:

Estimated Healthcare Costs $500

Annual per household (CDC est.)

PFAS Exposure — Lifetime Cost $1,000

Per person (emerging research est.)

Estimated Cumulative Cost Per Household

5 years
$2,665
10 years
$5,330
20 years
$10,660

Compare: Estimated remediation cost is $2,178 (one-time) vs. $5,330 in estimated inaction costs over 10 years.

Estimates based on published EPA, CDC, and peer-reviewed research. Individual costs vary by household size, property, and health factors. These are conservative lower-bound estimates intended for awareness, not financial advice.

System Overview

Cleveland Utilities (EPA ID: TN0000117) is a community water system in Tennessee that serves approximately 95,087 people from surface water sources.

This system provides water to 9 ZIP codes across 5 communities.

Average Home Safety Score: C (61/100)

Based on water quality violations, lead levels, and radon risk across all ZIP codes served by this system.

Violation History

1 monitoring/reporting violation recorded. These are procedural violations (missed tests or late reports), not necessarily water safety issues.

Contaminants Detected

The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:

Contaminant Category Violations Health-Based
Surface Water Treatment Rule Treatment Failure 1 No

Lead & Copper

EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data for ZIP codes served by this system:

ZIP Code Lead Level Exceeds Limit Sample Date
37310 0.002 mg/L No N/A
37311 0.001 mg/L No N/A
37312 0.001 mg/L No N/A
37320 0.001 mg/L No N/A
37323 0.001 mg/L No N/A
37364 0.001 mg/L No N/A

Radon Risk in Service Area

Dominant radon zone for ZIP codes served by this system: Zone 1 (High Risk)

The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.

Need help with your water quality?

Typical cost: Water test: typically $20–$50 (DIY kit) · Professional inspection: $150–$400

Find the Right Water Filter

Free tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking — this helps flush lead from your pipes.

ZIP Codes Served

Coverage: 7 ZIP codes confirmed via EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 plus 2 additional ZIPs inferred from SDWIS registry data. The EPA-confirmed set is the most reliable; SDWIS-inferred entries may be narrower than the real deployment area.

Data Sources

This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Cleveland Utilities (TN0000117) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cleveland Utilities water safe to drink?

Cleveland Utilities has only monitoring/reporting violations, which are procedural in nature. The system meets federal health-based standards.

How many people does Cleveland Utilities serve?

Cleveland Utilities serves approximately 95,087 people across 9 ZIP codes in Tennessee.

Where does Cleveland Utilities get its water?

The primary water source is surface water.

Contact Your Water Utility

Public-record contact information for the water utility serving this system. Use these channels to request water quality reports, ask about service, or report issues directly.

Phone
(423) 559-5277 or (423) 478-0698
Address
2455 Guthrie Avenue, NW, Cleveland, Tennessee

Contact information from Cleveland Utilities Authority Consumer Confidence Report.

ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility, does not act as its agent, and does not provide customer support for it. Contact details shown are public-record information from CCR filings. For service issues, contact the utility directly using the information above.

Water Source & Treatment

Where this water originates and how it's treated before reaching your tap.

Source
Blended (groundwater + surface water)
Combines water from both groundwater and surface sources.
Disinfectant used
Chlorine
Treatment chemicals reported
chlorinefluoride

Source: Cleveland Utilities Authority Consumer Confidence Report.

ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. Treatment and source data are sourced from the utility's published CCR filings.

Source water assessment from Cleveland Utilities Authority Consumer Confidence Report:
CU sources have been rated as reasonably susceptible based on geologic factors and human activities in the vicinity of the water source.

Treatment regime

How this utility classifies its treatment process and what each reported treatment chemical does.

Treatment classification
Multi-stage
Multiple treatment stages — typically coagulation, filtration, and disinfection. Common for surface-water systems requiring removal of particulates, microorganisms, and dissolved organic compounds before disinfection.

Treatment chemicals and what each one does

Chemical names are reported verbatim by the utility. Purpose categories are ZipCheckup annotations based on standard drinking-water treatment practice.

Disinfectant
Inactivates bacteria, viruses, and parasites in the treated water.
chlorine
Fluoridation
Added at low levels per state or local public-health policy for dental health.
fluoride

Treatment classification and chemical list sourced from Cleveland Utilities Authority Consumer Confidence Report.

Treatment intensity is a ZipCheckup-derived classification based on the chemicals and processes the utility reports. Chemicals and contamination sources are taken verbatim from the utility's CCR filing. Routine federal monitoring and contaminant testing shown elsewhere on this page determine whether the water meets safety standards, not the treatment classification.

Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Detected

This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). PFAS compounds were detected below the current state-enforceable MCL.

Samples collected
464
Detections
10
Latest sample
11/20/2024
Highest analyte
PFBS: 32.7 ppt
Analyte Max detected Current MCL Status
PFBS 32.7 ppt
PFBA 10 ppt
PFPeA 3.3 ppt

Current MCL reflects the lowest state-enforceable limit (NYS 10 ppt for PFOA/PFOS, effective August 2020). The federal final MCL of 4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS (EPA April 2024 rule) is not enforceable until April 2029. Detections above 4 ppt but below 10 ppt are below current MCL but above the future federal limit.

Source: U.S. EPA UCMR5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 5th cycle) — per-system federal sampling, 2023–2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program →

Understand PFAS health context and filtration →

PFAS Substances Detected in This System

This water system's Consumer Confidence Report disclosed the following PFAS compounds. Levels are from the utility's most recent reporting cycle.

Substance Detected level EPA limit Status
PFBS
Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid
EPA-regulated (2024 NPDWR)
Component of EPA Hazard Index — combined exposure assessed against unitless threshold of 1.0.
27.1 ppt No federal limit set
PFPeA
Not yet EPA-regulated
3.1 ppt No federal limit set
PFBA
Not yet EPA-regulated
6.2 ppt No federal limit set

In April 2024, EPA finalized the first National Primary Drinking Water Regulation for six PFAS. Public water systems have until 2029 to comply. EPA — PFAS regulation overview →

Source: Consumer Confidence Report disclosed by Cleveland Utilities Authority.

ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. PFAS detection data is sourced from public Consumer Confidence Reports filed by the utility itself.

Learn more about PFAS health effects and filtration →

Lead service line replacement plan from Cleveland Utilities Authority Consumer Confidence Report:
Cleveland Utilities has developed a Lead Service Line Inventory to assist customers with identifying the service line material at their location. The inventory is accessible via an interactive map, searchable by address or account number.

Lead Service Line Replacement Tracker

This water utility's lead service line (LSL) replacement program is tracked from public Consumer Confidence Report filings. Email signup notifies subscribers when the utility files an updated replacement plan or progress milestone.

Get notified on replacement progress

Subscribers receive an email when this utility updates its LSL plan, files a milestone report, or adjusts replacement timelines. No marketing, no third-party sharing.

By submitting you agree to Privacy Policy. Unsubscribe anytime via the link in any email.

Cleveland Utilities Authority

ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. LSL replacement-program data is sourced from public CCR filings published by the utility. Subscription notifications are based on automated parsing of subsequent CCR releases.

Learn more about Lead and Copper Rule replacement requirements →

Lead Service Line Inventory

Service line breakdown reported under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) inventory requirement:

0
Confirmed Lead
4
Galvanized — Replacement Required
15,476
Unknown Material
20,346
Confirmed Non-Lead

Federal LCRI rule (effective October 2024) requires every public water system to inventory its service lines and complete lead-line replacement within 10 years.

Federal Regulatory Status · 2026Q1
LCRR inventory submission: Reported all required service line types
Latest tap sample on 2023-01-01 did not exceed the federal lead action level.
Population served: 95,087
Reported to Tennessee

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Service Line Inventory (Phase 2) · Submitted 2026

ZipCheckup is not affiliated with the utility or state agency. Inventory figures render verbatim from the public LCRI submission cited above; ZipCheckup does not perform inspections or replacements.

Learn about lead in drinking water →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water from Cleveland Utilities safe to drink?
Cleveland Utilities has a C safety grade based on 1 recorded violation. Some contaminants may exceed EPA limits — independent testing is recommended.
What contaminants are in Cleveland Utilities's water?
Detected contaminants include Surface Water Treatment Rule. Each is compared against EPA maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) in the detailed breakdown above.
Should I use a water filter?
Given 1 contaminant above EPA limits, a certified water filter can provide an extra layer of protection. The best type depends on specific contaminants in your water.
How many people does Cleveland Utilities serve?
Cleveland Utilities serves approximately 95,087 people with drinking water across 9 ZIP codes.
What is Cleveland Utilities's water source?
Cleveland Utilities draws water from surface water sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in Cleveland Utilities's water?
The maximum detected lead level is 0.002 mg/L. This is within EPA action level guidelines.
What is the demographic profile of Cleveland Utilities's service area?
The Cleveland Utilities service area has a median household income of $67,538. EPA EJScreen data classifies 37% of the population as disadvantaged, which may indicate greater vulnerability to environmental health risks.
Where does Cleveland Utilities get its water?
Cleveland Utilities's water is drawn from rivers, lakes, or reservoirs. Surface water sources are more exposed to agricultural runoff, stormwater, and upstream discharges, but they typically receive more intensive treatment before reaching your tap. Based on violation history and environmental factors, the source contamination risk is currently elevated.

What You Can Do

1

Test your water

Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter →

2

Check your specific ZIP code

Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report →

3

Contact your utility

Cleveland Utilities (EPA ID: TN0000117) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.

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