Nashville's Water Source
The Source
Nashville is fortunate to have an abundant supply of water -- the Cumberland
River -- which provides water for both the Omohundro and K. R. Harrington
water treatment plants. The United States Environmental Protection Agency
has given the Cumberland River a good grade for water quality. This
report is available at http://www.state.tn.us/environment/dws/dwassess.shtml.
The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) include
lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, wells, and, in Nashville's
case, the Cumberland River. As water travels over the surface of the
land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally-occurring minerals
and radioactive material, and can pick up substances resulting from
the presence of animals or from human activity.
Impurities that may be present in source water include:
- Biological contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife.
- Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally-occurring or result from urban storm run-off, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming.
- Pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, storm water run-off, and residential uses.
- Organic chemicals, including synthetic and volatile organics, which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations, urban storm water run-off and septic systems.
- Radioactive materials, which can be naturally-occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.
In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the United States Environmental Protection Agency prescribes regulations that limit the amount of certain impurities in water provided by public water systems. The Food and Drug Administration regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water.
Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the Environmental Protection Agency's Safe Drinking Water Hotline 1-800-426-4791.
Questions which are not addressed through this web site, please email Sonia Harvat.