Current Noncompliance TN 2 HEALTH VIOLATIONS

Cumberland Utility District

EPA ID: TN0000531 ยท 14,085 people served ยท 7 ZIP codes

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA SDWIS for Cumberland Utility District (TN0000531): 3 unresolved EPA violations on record. 3 open EPA findings remain on record at Cumberland Utility District - the utility supplies approximately 14,085 people.

Data: EPA SDWIS

D ยท 50
Avg Safety Score
14,085
People Served
7
ZIP Codes Served
25
Violations (5yr)
Surface Water
Water Source
0.0003 mg/L
Max Lead Level
Zone 1
Radon Risk ยท High
11
Contaminants Flagged
$161K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Service Area Map

Coverage area for Cumberland Utility District Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary - Grade D

Service Area Demographics

$58,649
Median Household Income
71,683
Service Area Population
76%
Disadvantaged Population
71th
Poverty Percentile
64th
Energy Burden Percentile
61%
Pre-1986 Housing

The Cumberland Utility District serves a community with a median household income of $58,649 and an estimated 71,683 residents across its service area. Approximately 61% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

Environmental Justice Note: 76% 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.

๐ŸŒŠ Where Does Your Water Come From?

Surface Water

Cumberland Utility District'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
24th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
54th
Superfund Site Proximity

Infrastructure Risk

46 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Copper
Pipe Material
23 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Moderate Wear
Decay Status
Installed 67% of expected lifespan used End of life

Detected Contaminants

How Cumberland Utility District compares to EPA limits

Lead 1 mg/L (action level) (EXCEEDS LIMIT)
0 EPA Limit: 0.015 mg/L (action level)
Brain damage in children, kidney & blood pressure in adults
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) 3 mg/L (EXCEEDS LIMIT)
0 EPA Limit: 0.06 mg/L
Cancer risk; reproductive & developmental effects
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) 1 mg/L (EXCEEDS LIMIT)
0 EPA Limit: 0.08 mg/L
Bladder & rectal cancer risk; reproductive concerns

What This Means For You

Lead at 1 mg/L (action level) exceeds the EPA maximum of 0.015 mg/L (action level). Brain damage in children, kidney & blood pressure in adults. Consider reverse osmosis filtration.

Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) at 3 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of 0.06 mg/L. Cancer risk; reproductive & developmental effects. Consider granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration.

Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of 0.08 mg/L. Bladder & rectal cancer risk; reproductive concerns. Consider granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration.

Lead and Copper Rule at 4 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.

Stage 1 DBP Rule at 3 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. 6 detections recorded.

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 โ†’

Lead was detected in this water system. reverse osmosis filtration can reduce exposure.

Find a certified water filter โ†’

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in Tennessee

B 1 violation
0 violations
Tellico Village P.o.a.
13,870 people
1 violation
0 violations
Chuckey Utility District
14,369 people
1 violation

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Flood Insurance Radon Mitigation PFAS Treatment Water Filtration
Flood Insurance $943
Radon Mitigation $857
PFAS Treatment $429
Water Filtration $129
Total Estimated Cost $2,357

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 $1,500

Annual per household (CDC est.)

PFAS Exposure - Lifetime Cost $1,000

Per person (emerging research est.)

Estimated Cumulative Cost Per Household

5 years
$7,665
10 years
$15,330
20 years
$30,660

Compare: Estimated remediation cost is $2,357 (one-time) vs. $15,330 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

Cumberland Utility District (EPA ID: TN0000531) is a community water system in Tennessee that serves approximately 14,085 people from surface water sources.

This system provides water to 7 ZIP codes across 7 communities.

ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: D (50/100)

This is the average Home Safety Score for 2 of 7 service-area ZIP codes with all required score domains observed. It is not a grade for the water utility.

Model 4.0.0 uses SDWIS identity plus accepted ECHO SDWA lifecycle-based water compliance, the UCMR 5 PFAS MCL screen, EPA radon zone, and annual EPA AirData AQI across three equally weighted domains. Missing required evidence suppresses the score.

Violation History

3 current noncompliance records in the accepted 2026Q2 snapshot; none are classified as health-based in this evidence.

Status breakdown for accepted records with record years 2021-2026: 21 resolved, 1 archived, 3 addressed, and 0 unaddressed. Under this source contract, current noncompliance is the sum of addressed and unaddressed records. Archived and resolved records are excluded from current noncompliance.

Recent Violations

Date Contaminant Type Status
October 1, 2024 Consumer Confidence Report Rule Non-health-based Resolved
September 1, 2024 Consumer Confidence Report Rule Non-health-based Resolved
July 1, 2024 Chlorite Non-health-based Resolved
July 1, 2024 Revised Total Coliform Rule Non-health-based Resolved
March 1, 2024 Consumer Confidence Report Rule Non-health-based Resolved
March 1, 2024 E. coli Non-health-based Resolved
March 1, 2024 Fecal Coliform Non-health-based Resolved
January 1, 2024 Revised Total Coliform Rule Non-health-based Resolved
January 1, 2024 Chlorite Non-health-based Resolved
October 1, 2023 Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Non-health-based Resolved
October 1, 2023 Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) Non-health-based Resolved
May 18, 2023 Lead and Copper Rule Non-health-based Resolved
April 2, 2023 Lead and Copper Rule Non-health-based Resolved
February 1, 2023 E. coli Non-health-based Resolved
January 1, 2023 Stage 1 DBP Rule Non-health-based Resolved
January 1, 2023 Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Health-based Resolved
January 1, 2023 Stage 1 DBP Rule Non-health-based Resolved
October 1, 2022 Surface Water Treatment Rule Non-health-based Addressed (current)
October 1, 2022 Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Health-based Archived
July 1, 2022 Stage 1 DBP Rule Non-health-based Resolved

Contaminants Detected

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

Contaminant Category Violations Health-Based
Lead and Copper Rule Treatment Failure 4 No
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Disinfection Byproducts 3 Yes
Stage 1 DBP Rule Treatment Failure 3 No
Surface Water Treatment Rule Treatment Failure 3 No
Consumer Confidence Report Rule Reporting Failure 3 No
Chlorite Disinfection Byproducts 2 No
E. coli Microbiological 2 No
Revised Total Coliform Rule Microbiological 2 No
Lead Inorganic 1 No
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) Disinfection Byproducts 1 No
Fecal Coliform Microbiological 1 No

Health Risk Details

Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) (EPA limit: 0.06 mg/L)

Cancer risk; reproductive & developmental effects At-risk groups: pregnant women, infants, long-term consumers of chlorinated municipal water.

Removal methods: granular activated carbon (GAC), carbon block filter, reverse osmosis. Find the right filter โ†’

Lead & Copper

EPA Lead and Copper Rule evidence attributed directly to this water system:

Lead Level Exceeds Action Level Sample Date
0.0003 mg/L No N/A

No copper action-level exceedance record appears for this PWSID in the accepted LCR snapshot. This does not establish a clean copper measurement.

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 $20โ€“$50 (DIY kit) ยท Professional inspection: $150โ€“$400

Find the Right Water Filter

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

ZIP Codes Served

Coverage: Service area ZIP codes sourced from EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 (March 2026 release). These ZIPs reflect the actual deployment footprint recorded by TN or modeled from parcel and building-footprint data.

Data Sources

This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Cumberland Utility District (TN0000531) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cumberland Utility District water safe to drink?

The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot shows 3 current noncompliance records and zero current records classified as health-based. That classification is not a property-specific water test or safety guarantee.

How many people does Cumberland Utility District serve?

Cumberland Utility District serves approximately 14,085 people across 7 ZIP codes in Tennessee.

Where does Cumberland Utility District get its water?

The primary water source is surface water.

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
116
Detections
1
Latest sample
9/9/2025
Highest analyte
PFBA: 5.6 ppt
Analyte Max detected Current MCL Status
PFBA 5.6 ppt โ€” โ€”

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) โ€” per-system federal sampling, 2023โ€“2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program โ†’

Understand PFAS health context and filtration โ†’

How Water Systems Appear in Rankings

Water systems are evaluated by violation history, contaminant detections, and service population. Larger systems with more service connections appear in more rankings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water from Cumberland Utility District safe to drink?
Cumberland Utility District has a D safety grade based on 25 recorded violations. Some contaminants may exceed EPA limits - independent testing is recommended.
What contaminants are in Cumberland Utility District's water?
Detected contaminants include Lead, Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM), Lead and Copper Rule. Each is compared against EPA maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) in the detailed breakdown above.
Should I use a water filter?
Given 5 contaminants 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 Cumberland Utility District serve?
Cumberland Utility District serves approximately 14,085 people with drinking water across 7 ZIP codes.
What is Cumberland Utility District's water source?
Cumberland Utility District draws water from surface water sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in Cumberland Utility District's water?
The maximum detected lead level is 0.0003 mg/L. This is within EPA action level guidelines.
What is the demographic profile of Cumberland Utility District's service area?
The Cumberland Utility District service area has a median household income of $58,649. EPA EJScreen data classifies 76% of the population as disadvantaged, which may indicate greater vulnerability to environmental health risks.
Where does Cumberland Utility District get its water?
Cumberland Utility District'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 the exported violation history and environmental factors, the source contamination risk is classified as elevated.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (n.d.). Cumberland Utility District (TN): 2 Health Violations. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/tn0000531/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-tn0000531,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Cumberland Utility District (TN): 2 Health Violations}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/tn0000531/}
}

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 โ†’

2

Check your specific ZIP code

Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report โ†’

3

Contact your utility

Cumberland Utility District (EPA ID: TN0000531) - request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.

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