Is there PFAS in Athens Utilities Board water?
Yes, at low levels. 1 PFAS was detected, all below EPA's 2024 limits.
Athens Utilities Board
Serves 26,424 people · 7 PFOA samples from 2 sampling points · Sep 2023 to Jun 2024
PFAS found, below EPA limits
PFOA Perfluorooctanoic acid
not detected
PFOS Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid
not detected
Hazard index GenX, PFBS, PFNA, PFHxS combined
0.0 avg · max 0.0
Also detected, no federal limit: PFBS.
Athens Utilities Board is a public water system drawing on surface water, based in Athens, Tennessee, serving about 26,424 people, including Athens, Decatur, Riceville. Under EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule it was tested for 29 PFAS and lithium 7 times across 2 sampling points between Sep 2023 and Jun 2024.
Every PFAS detected
Not detected: PFMBA, PFPeA, NEtFOSAA, PFEESA, NFDHA, PFPeS, PFHpS, HFPO-DA, ADONA, 9Cl-PF3ONS, 11Cl-PF3OUdS, PFUnA, PFHxA, PFDoA, PFDA, PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFTA, PFHpA, PFMPA, PFTrDA, 8:2 FTS, NMeFOSAA, 4:2 FTS, PFHxS, 6:2 FTS, PFBA.
Lithium, tested in the same program: not detected.
What the EPA limits mean here
In April 2024 EPA set enforceable limits of 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS, 10 ppt each for PFHxS, PFNA and GenX, and a hazard index of 1 for mixtures. Utilities were given until 2029 to comply. In May 2026 EPA proposed keeping only the PFOA and PFOS limits and moving that deadline to 2031. Until that proposal is final, the 2024 limits stand.
Compliance is judged on a running annual average at each entry point, so we show the average at this system's worst sampling point next to its single highest result. UCMR 5 results do not by themselves put a utility in or out of compliance.
What you can do at home
Levels here are under EPA's limits, so no treatment is required. If you want them lower anyway, a certified reverse osmosis system under the sink handles drinking water, and a whole-house carbon filter also takes out the chlorine or chloramine your utility adds.
Other systems in Tennessee
All 277 tested systems in Tennessee
ZIP codes served
37303 37322 37370 37371
As reported by the utility to EPA. Neighbouring ZIPs are often split between systems; your water bill names yours.
Cite this page
Well & Tap. "PFAS in Athens Utilities Board water: EPA UCMR 5 results." Data: U.S. EPA Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, final release August 2026, PWSID TN0000024. https://wellandtap.com/pfas/tennessee/athens-utilities-board/
About this data
Source: U.S. EPA, UCMR 5 occurrence data, final release August 2026 (PWSID TN0000024). Population: EPA SDWIS. Averages count results below the reporting level as zero, the same convention EPA uses for running annual averages. Full method.
