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Is there PFAS in Cleveland Utilities water?

Yes, at low levels. 3 PFAS were detected, all below EPA's 2024 limits.

Cleveland Utilities Serves 95,087 people · 16 PFOA samples from 4 sampling points · Feb 2024 to Nov 2024 PFAS found, below EPA limits
PFOA Perfluorooctanoic acid not detected
EPA 4
PFOS Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid not detected
EPA 4
Hazard index GenX, PFBS, PFNA, PFHxS combined 0.0 avg · max 0.0
EPA 1

Also detected, no federal limit: PFBS, PFBA, PFPeA.

Averages are for the worst sampling point, with non-detects counted as zero. Source: EPA UCMR 5.

Cleveland Utilities is a public water system drawing on surface water, based in Cleveland, Tennessee, serving about 95,087 people, including Charleston, Cleveland, Mc Donald. Under EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule it was tested for 29 PFAS and lithium 16 times across 4 sampling points between Feb 2024 and Nov 2024.

Every PFAS detected

PFAS Detected Highest Worst point avg EPA limit
PFBS
Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid		 6 of 16 32.7 ppt 27.1 ppt none
PFBA
Perfluorobutanoic acid		 3 of 16 10.0 ppt 5.3 ppt none
PFPeA
Perfluoropentanoic acid		 1 of 16 3.3 ppt 0.8 ppt none

Not detected: 9Cl-PF3ONS, 11Cl-PF3OUdS, ADONA, PFOA, PFUnA, PFHxA, PFDA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS, PFHpA, PFDoA, NFDHA, 4:2 FTS, HFPO-DA, PFPeS, 8:2 FTS, PFTA, PFMBA, NMeFOSAA, PFTrDA, PFHpS, PFEESA, PFMPA, 6:2 FTS, NEtFOSAA.

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

37310 37311 37312 37323 37353

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 Cleveland Utilities water: EPA UCMR 5 results." Data: U.S. EPA Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, final release August 2026, PWSID TN0000117. https://wellandtap.com/pfas/tennessee/cleveland-utilities/

About this data

Source: U.S. EPA, UCMR 5 occurrence data, final release August 2026 (PWSID TN0000117). Population: EPA SDWIS. Averages count results below the reporting level as zero, the same convention EPA uses for running annual averages. Full method.