waterbycounty
Federal water data

County water report

Jackson County Water Report

Drinking-water compliance, watershed health, monitoring records, and river conditions for Jackson County, Tennessee.

Water grade

F

Water score

7.7

State rank

#94

of 95

Health violations

49

EPA SDWIS, 5-year lookback

Watershed impaired

6.5%

46 water bodies assessed

Monitoring sites

9

930 recent measurements

Live streamflow

13%

JENNINGS CREEK AT RILEY CR RD AT WHITLEYVILLE, TN

Water at a glance

Key Water Indicators for Jackson County

EPA SDWIS

Safety Grade

F

Score: 7.7 / 100

EPA SDWIS

Active Violations

49

5-year health-based lookback

EPA ATTAINS

Watershed Health

7% impaired

46 bodies assessed

USGS NWIS

Streamflow Snapshot

13% of mean

JENNINGS CREEK AT RILEY CR RD AT WHITLEYVILLE, TN

EPA WQP

Monitoring Sites

9

930 recent readings

Source: EPA SDWIS · Safe Drinking Water Information System

Drinking Water Compliance

Compliance grade

F

Based on EPA SDWIS compliance history.

Water score

Higher scores indicate cleaner recent compliance records.

7.7/100

Health violations

49

Health-based violations

Violations per 100K served

457.5

Population-normalized SDWIS rate

Editorial analysis

Understanding Jackson County’s Water

Drinking Water Quality Overview

EPA SDWIS

Jackson County's water systems carry a failing grade, scoring 7.7 out of 100. Over the past five years, EPA SDWIS records 49 health-based violations — a pattern that public water utilities are required to disclose and correct.

Watershed Conditions

EPA ATTAINS

Under the Clean Water Act §303(d), EPA ATTAINS tracks whether waterways meet quality standards for drinking, recreation, and aquatic life (reporting cycle: 2022). A small share — 6.5% — of assessed waterways are impaired (3 of 46 water bodies) across Jackson County's watersheds. The leading impairment causes are alteration in stream-side or littoral vegetative covers and nutrient/eutrophication biological indicators. Impairment does not mean tap water is unsafe — it measures ambient waterway conditions upstream of treatment, not finished drinking water.

River & Streamflow Status

USGS NWIS

USGS NWIS gauge data (as of 2026-05-14T13:30:00.000-05:00) puts JENNINGS CREEK at 15.9 cfs — well below its long-term average at 13% of mean — low-flow conditions worth noting for water-dependent ecosystems. Streamflow is a leading indicator of drought stress, sediment load, and dilution capacity: low flows concentrate pollutants and warm water temperatures, stressing aquatic life and, in surface-water-dependent systems, the source water quality for treatment plants.

Monitoring Network

EPA WQP

EPA's Water Quality Portal (WQP) aggregates monitoring data from federal, state, and tribal agencies. Jackson County has limited coverage with 9 active monitoring sites with 930 recent measurements on record. Predominant monitoring categories include physical and nutrient. More monitoring sites generally indicate greater scientific attention to local water conditions — and provide the baseline data that regulators use to set future impairment listings.

Editorial advisory

What the data suggests for Jackson County

Water Verdict

Jackson County, Tennessee receives a poor water quality assessment with a grade of F and a score of 7.7 out of 100. The water supply has documented quality issues. Residents are strongly encouraged to use filtered or bottled water for drinking and to stay informed about utility improvement plans. Separately, EPA ATTAINS assessments cover 46 water bodies in the county's watershed, with 6.5% listed as impaired under the Clean Water Act — a source-water measure that is tracked independently of tap-water compliance. At the most recent USGS reading, local streamflow was below its historical mean at 12.9% — worth watching in drier seasons.

Violation Context

EPA SDWIS records for Jackson County, Tennessee show 49 health-based violations, indicating multiple instances where federal contaminant limits or treatment requirements were not met. At 457.5 violations per 100,000 people served, this rate is high and signals significant water quality management issues. Independent monitoring is comparatively sparse here — 930 water-quality results logged in the EPA Water Quality Portal over the past five years — so the utility's own reporting carries extra weight.

Consumer Guidance

Jackson County has a Grade F compliance record with 49 health-based violations — among the highest levels in the country. Jackson County's drinking-water compliance score is 7.7 out of 100. Residents are strongly advised to use a certified NSF 58 reverse-osmosis filter or bottled water for all drinking and cooking until violations are corrected. Contacting the Tennessee Department of Environmental Quality or Health can expedite utility compliance action. Alteration in Stream-Side or Littoral Vegetative Covers is the leading impairment cause in Jackson County's watershed. There are 9 active water-quality monitoring sites in Jackson County. A pipeline streamflow snapshot from the JENNINGS CREEK gauge is also available on this page.

Regional Context

Jackson County has poorer water quality than the average county in Tennessee. Its water score is 63.6 points lower than the state average, suggesting more challenges with contamination control or infrastructure than neighboring counties.

Advisory text summarizes county-level public records and is not a replacement for your utility's current Consumer Confidence Report or direct local notices.

Contaminants & Resources

Key issues flagged in Jackson County's water environment

Watershed Impairment Causes (EPA ATTAINS)

  • 1

    Alteration in Stream-Side Or Littoral Vegetative Covers

    Impairment cause per EPA Clean Water Act §303(d) assessment

  • 2

    Nutrient/Eutrophication Biological Indicators

    Impairment cause per EPA Clean Water Act §303(d) assessment

  • 3

    E. coli (bacteria)

    Impairment cause per EPA Clean Water Act §303(d) assessment

Source: EPA ATTAINS · Reporting cycle 2022

Official EPA Resources for Jackson County

EPA How's My Waterway

Interactive watershed health data for Jackson County

EPA ECHO: Drinking Water Systems

Search water utilities and violation records for Jackson County

Consumer Confidence Reports (TN)

Annual water quality reports from utilities in Tennessee

Clean Water Act §303(d)

Watershed Health

Impaired Water Bodies

6.5%

3 of 46 assessed

Mostly healthy

Top Impairment Causes

  • 1

    ALTERATION IN STREAM-SIDE OR LITTORAL VEGETATIVE COVERS

  • 2

    NUTRIENT/EUTROPHICATION BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS

  • 3

    ESCHERICHIA COLI (E. COLI)

Source: EPA ATTAINS · Reporting cycle 2022

Impairment is determined under the Clean Water Act §303(d): a water body is impaired when it fails to meet state-defined quality standards for designated uses (drinking, recreation, aquatic life). Assessment coverage varies by state; counties without assessed water bodies are not shown.

Past 5 years

Water Quality Monitoring

Monitoring Sites

9

Active in the past 5 years

Measurements Recorded

930

930 total readings

Most Measured

  • Physical
  • Nutrient
  • Inorganics, Minor, Metals

Categories measured most frequently

Data from the EPA Water Quality Portal (WQP), aggregating monitoring records from federal, state, and tribal sources. Each measurement represents a single sample analyzed for a specific characteristic (e.g., E. coli, pH, dissolved oxygen, nitrogen).

Live USGS Streamgage

River & Stream Conditions

Current Discharge

15.9cfs

May 14, 6:30 PM UTC

vs Long-Term Average

13%

Well below typical

Primary Streamgage

JENNINGS CREEK AT RILEY CR RD AT WHITLEYVILLE, TN

USGS site
03418224
Drainage area
67.4 sq mi
Long-term mean
123 cfs

One representative streamgage (the one with the largest drainage area in the county). Many counties have multiple gauges; this view summarizes the primary one. The long-term mean is the full-record annual average; the percent-of-typical value compares the latest reading against that average.

Free tool

Estimate Your Water Costs

Water Cost Estimate

3

3 people  ·  ~225 gal/day

Annual Total

$558

Monthly

$47

Water Bill

$558/yr

Filter Cost

$0/yr

Safety Grade for Jackson County:C — Moderate

Some violations or watershed impairment detected.

Estimates use the national average residential water rate ($0.0068/gal, EPA/AWWA 2023) and EPA WaterSense per-person consumption baseline (75 gal/person/day). Actual bills vary by utility, usage tier, and local infrastructure fees. For informational purposes only.

Try the full calculator →

Improve your water quality at home

Berkey filters remove 99.9%+ of contaminants from tap water.

Shop Berkey →

Sponsored

Test your tap water

Tap Score provides professional mail-in water testing.

Get Tested →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the water quality in Jackson County, Tennessee?
Jackson County, Tennessee has a drinking-water quality grade of F with a score of 7.7/100, based on EPA SDWIS compliance data. The county has 49 health-based drinking water violations over the past 5 years. Watershed health, monitoring records, and streamflow snapshots are reported separately on this page.
Are there any water violations in Jackson County?
Jackson County has 49 health-based drinking water violations recorded by the EPA over the past 5 years. Health-based violations indicate instances where contaminant levels exceeded EPA Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs). Violations may have been resolved — check with your local water utility for current status.
How healthy are the watersheds in Jackson County?
EPA ATTAINS assessments under Clean Water Act §303(d) indicate 6.5% of Jackson County's 46 assessed water bodies are classified as impaired (3 impaired). The top reported causes are ALTERATION IN STREAM-SIDE OR LITTORAL VEGETATIVE COVERS, NUTRIENT/EUTROPHICATION BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS, ESCHERICHIA COLI (E. COLI). Impairment means the water body fails to meet state quality standards for at least one designated use — drinking water source, recreation, aquatic life, or fish consumption. Note: watershed impairment doesn't always translate to tap-water issues; treatment plants can remove most regulated contaminants.
How much water-quality monitoring happens in Jackson County?
EPA's Water Quality Portal records 930 measurements from 9 monitoring sites in Jackson County over the past five years. The most frequently measured characteristic groups are Physical, Nutrient, Inorganics, Minor, Metals. Each measurement is a single sample analyzed for one characteristic (E. coli, pH, dissolved oxygen, etc.). High monitoring density means more scientific evidence behind any reported signal — it does not by itself indicate water quality.
What's happening with rivers in Jackson County right now?
Jackson County's primary USGS streamgage on the JENNINGS CREEK has a pipeline snapshot of 15.9 cubic feet per second — 13% of the long-term mean of 123.2 cfs. This is well below typical — often a signal of drought stress on source water. For the latest gauge feed, visit waterdata.usgs.gov.
How does Jackson County water compare to the Tennessee average?
Jackson County's SDWIS water quality score of 7.7/100 is lower than the Tennessee state average of 71.3. The average water quality grade across Tennessee is C, based on data from 95 counties with available SDWIS data.
Is tap water safe to drink in Jackson County?
Based on EPA SDWIS data, Jackson County has a water quality grade of F (7.7/100). This indicates below-average compliance with significant violations. Residents may want to consider home water filtration or independent testing. The grade speaks to the public water system, not the watershed — for watershed-level concerns, see the Watershed Health zone. For the most up-to-date information, contact your local water utility or review your Consumer Confidence Report (CCR).
Why does Jackson County have so many water violations?
Jackson County has 49 health-based drinking water violations on record from the EPA SDWIS database. A higher violation count can result from aging infrastructure, underfunded water utilities, agricultural runoff contamination, or industrial pollution. Counties with more water systems may also see more violations simply due to scale. Residents concerned about water quality should consider independent water testing and home filtration systems.
How does Jackson County rank for water quality in Tennessee?
Jackson County ranks #94 out of 95 counties in Tennessee by SDWIS water quality score (1 = best). With a score of 7.7/100, it falls in the bottom third of counties statewide. The ranking reflects EPA SDWIS compliance only — not watershed impairment, monitoring density, or streamflow, which are tracked separately on this page.

Counties with Similar Water Quality

Wayne County

Tennessee

F

8.2

Water score

Van Buren County

Tennessee

F

3.5

Water score

Trousdale County

Tennessee

F

15.5

Water score

Data Sources

Drinking-water compliance data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) via the ECHO enforcement database. Scores reflect compliance history and health-based violation counts.

Watershed health and impaired-waterway data from the EPA ATTAINS Clean Water Act §303(d) assessments, state-reported and EPA-finalized.

Water-quality monitoring counts from the EPA Water Quality Portal (WQP), federated USGS, EPA, and state agency sampling records over a rolling 5-year window.

Live streamflow from the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS), continuous discharge measurements from the largest-drainage gauge in each county, compared against the full-record long-term annual mean.

Disclaimer: This data is informational only. It is not health, legal, or professional advice. For concerns about your specific water supply, contact your local water utility.

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Explore more data for Jackson County

Property TaxCost of LivingCrime RateIncomeHealthSchoolsDisaster RiskWeatherCounty Score