Oak Ridge Department of Public Works

Oak Ridge Department of Public Works Municipal Water Report Info

The City of Oak Ridge is situated in eastern Tennessee, approximately 22 miles northwest of Knoxville, with around 27,000 residents. The municipality spans parts of both Anderson and Roane Counties, covering roughly 92 square miles. About 30 square miles comprise residential, commercial, and municipal properties, while the U.S. Department of Energy owns the remaining area.

Oak Ridge hosts significant DOE facilities—a national laboratory and national security complex—along with high-tech employers and a regional medical center. The city serves as the primary retail destination for residents from five surrounding East Tennessee counties. Currently, Oak Ridge features four municipally-developed commercial parks, two privately-developed parks, and the new Horizon Center industrial park with 1,000 acres of undeveloped federal land.

For economic opportunity information, visit: Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce and Oak Ridge Economic Partnership.

ISO Rating - Oak Ridge
Insurance Services Office (ISO) evaluates communities' fire suppression capabilities using their Fire Suppression Rating Schedule (FSRS) and assigns Public Protection Classification (PPC) numbers. This program provides crucial data about fire protection services nationwide, serving insurance companies, businesses, fire departments, and regulators with risk assessment information.

In evaluated communities, ISO analyzes relevant data and assigns a PPC between 1 and 10, with Class 1 representing exemplary fire suppression and Class 10 indicating systems below ISO's minimum standards.

A community's PPC rating depends on:

• Fire alarm and communication systems (911 call center), including telephone systems, lines, staffing, and dispatch
• Fire department equipment, staffing, training, and geographic distribution
• Water supply systems, including hydrant maintenance, alternate water supplies, and available water volume assessment

Oak Ridge's current ISO PPC score: 2/9
ISO completed its evaluation of Oak Ridge Fire Department in October 2013, resulting in a Class 2/9 rating effective June 1, 2014.

For split classifications (like 2/9):

• Class 2 applies to properties within 5 road miles of a fire station and 1,000 feet of a hydrant/alternate water supply
• Class 9 applies to properties beyond 1,000 feet of a hydrant but within 5 road miles of a fire station
• Class 10 applies to properties over 5 road miles from a fire station regardless of hydrant location

ISO uses GPS technology for distance determination. These ratings affect insurance rates on an address-by-address basis.