Anderson County, Tennessee: drinking water report. Anderson County in eastern Tennessee has about 77,000 residents, with Oak Ridge as the most notable…
Anderson County in eastern Tennessee has about 77,000 residents, with Oak Ridge as the most notable community. Oak Ridge was built from scratch during WWII as part of the Manhattan Project, and the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge Reservation – encompassing the Y-12 National Security Complex, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the former K-25 gaseous diffusion plant – defines the county's environmental profile.
The Oak Ridge Reservation has one of the most complex environmental contamination profiles of any DOE facility. According to DOE's 2024 environmental monitoring report, documented contaminants include mercury (from the Y-12 plant's lithium separation process), uranium, technetium-99, PCBs, and various solvents. Mercury contamination in East Fork Poplar Creek, which flows through the city of Oak Ridge, remains above cleanup levels despite decades of remediation.
PFAS from fire training activities at the reservation has been documented in groundwater. A 2024 Tennessee DEC investigation found PFOS at 19 ppt in monitoring wells between the reservation boundary and residential areas. The EPA's UCMR5 data detected PFAS in the Oak Ridge water system.
Anderson County's water quality story is inextricable from Oak Ridge's nuclear legacy. The municipal water supply draws from Clinch River upstream of most DOE discharge points and is treated to meet all standards. Private well users near the reservation face a different risk profile.
We recommend checking your water for current data. For the range of contaminants associated with the Oak Ridge complex, reverse osmosis at the kitchen tap provides the broadest household protection. Our water filter guide covers systems suited to areas with diverse contamination sources. Get your detailed report for trends, and visit our Tennessee page for statewide data.