City of Parsons

Is our municipal water safe? Yes, our water meets all EPA health standards. We have conducted extensive testing for over 80 potential contaminants. As shown in the report below, we only detected eight of these substances - all within acceptable safety limits.

Where does our water come from? Our surface water is sourced from the Tennessee River. We work diligently to protect our supply from contaminants, collaborating with State authorities to assess vulnerability to potential contamination sources.

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) has prepared a Source Water Assessment Plan (SWAP) Report for our untreated water sources. This assessment identifies vulnerability levels of untreated sources to potential contamination. To ensure safety, public water systems treat and regularly test their water.

Why are there contaminants in my water? All drinking water, including bottled varieties, can reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. Their presence doesn't necessarily indicate a health risk. For more information about contaminants and potential health effects, contact the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).

Regulatory compliance: State and EPA regulations require regular testing and reporting to ensure water safety. We've met all requirements, and results for unregulated contaminant analysis are available upon request.

Water source information: Sources for municipal water include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels across land or underground, it dissolves naturally-occurring minerals and sometimes radioactive materials, and can pick up substances from animal presence or human activity.

Potential contaminants include:

• Microbial contaminants from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural operations, and wildlife
• Inorganic contaminants like salts and metals, occurring naturally or from urban runoff, industrial/domestic wastewater, oil/gas production, mining, or farming
• Pesticides and herbicides from agriculture, urban runoff, and residential uses
• Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organics from industrial processes, petroleum production, gas stations, runoff, and septic systems
• Radioactive contaminants that are naturally-occurring or result from oil/gas production and mining

To ensure tap water safety, EPA and Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation regulations limit contaminant levels in public water supplies. Parsons Water System's treatment processes reduce substances to levels well below health concerns. FDA regulations establish similar limits for bottled water.

Special precautions: Some individuals may be more vulnerable to contaminants than the general population. Immunocompromised persons (cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, organ transplant recipients, HIV/AIDS patients, some elderly individuals, and infants) should seek advice from healthcare providers about water consumption, food preparation, personal hygiene, and precautions for handling infants and pets.

Lead in water: If present, elevated lead levels can cause serious health problems, particularly for pregnant women and young children. Lead primarily comes from materials associated with service lines and home plumbing. While Parsons Water System provides quality water, we cannot control plumbing component materials. After water sits for several hours, minimize lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking.

System security: Following September 2001, we understand customer concerns about water supply security. Please report suspicious activities at utility facilities (treatment plants, pumping stations, tanks, fire hydrants, etc.) to 852-3911.

Medication disposal: Flushing unused medications can harm your water supply. Dispose of unused or expired medications at one of Tennessee's permanent pharmaceutical take-back bins. Nearly 100 bins are located across Tennessee. Find a convenient location at: https://www.tn.gov/environment/article/sp-unwanted-pharmaceuticals.

1. How often is municipal water tested for contaminants?
2. What health risks are associated with trihalomethanes in water?
3. Do home water filtration systems remove the contaminants found in Parsons water?
4. How does water hardness affect household appliances and plumbing?
5. Are there special considerations for households with small children?