The 2024 Town of Oliver Springs Water Quality Report confirms that the drinking water is safe, meeting all EPA health standards, with only 9 out of over 80 tested contaminants detected, all within safe limits. The water is sourced from Bacon Spring and the Clinch River (via Anderson County Water Authority) and is rated as reasonably susceptible to contamination per Tennessee’s Source Water Assessment Program.

The town actively protects and treats the water to ensure safety. Potential contaminants in source water include microbial agents, inorganic compounds, pesticides, herbicides, organic chemicals, and radioactive materials from natural or human activities, though their presence in small amounts does not necessarily pose health risks.

In 2024, one positive total coliform bacteria sample was detected but resolved with negative follow-up tests, and a turbidity exceedance (1.80 NTU) occurred in May, though 99.9% of samples met limits. Lead and copper levels were below action levels in all tested households in 2023, and other contaminants like nitrate, sodium, TTHM, HAA5, and chlorine were within safe limits.

Immunocompromised individuals should consult healthcare providers about water safety, and flushing taps for 30 seconds to 2 minutes can minimize lead exposure. Residents are urged not to flush medications but to use Tennessee’s 340+ pharmaceutical take-back bins.

The water system complies with all state and EPA regulations, and suspicious activities should be reported to 865-457-4298 or the Oliver Springs Police at 865-435-7778.

For more information, contact Cory Jenkins at (865) 435-7722 or attend Water Board meetings on the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at Oliver Springs City Hall.