Blount County, Tennessee: drinking water report. Blount County south of Knoxville has about 133,000 residents, with Maryville as the county seat.
Blount County south of Knoxville has about 133,000 residents, with Maryville as the county seat. The county lies between the urban Knoxville metro and the Great Smoky Mountains, drawing water from the Little River and groundwater. ALCOA (the aluminum company) was founded here and operated a massive smelter for decades, giving the town of Alcoa its name.
The ALCOA smelter operation left fluoride contamination in soil and groundwater near the facility. According to Tennessee DEC's 2024 site assessment, fluoride concentrations in monitoring wells near the former smelter exceed 4 mg/L in some locations – above the MCL. The facility has been largely remediated, but residual contamination persists in the immediate vicinity.
The Little River supply benefits from a largely forested watershed in the Great Smoky Mountains, producing clean source water. A 2024 DEC compliance report confirmed that all Blount County public water systems met federal standards. PFAS from McGhee Tyson Airport (located partly in Blount County) has been detected at 12 ppt in monitoring wells near the airport.
Blount County benefits from excellent mountain-sourced water. The primary contamination concerns are localized – fluoride near the former ALCOA smelter and PFAS near McGhee Tyson Airport. If you are outside these areas on a municipal system, your risk is minimal.
Check your water for data at your specific address. For residents near contamination sources, reverse osmosis handles fluoride and PFAS effectively. For most county residents, a carbon filter addresses taste and chlorine. Our water filter guide covers both scenarios. Pull your detailed report for local data, and visit our Tennessee page for statewide context.