We read 16 results from Memphis Light, Gas, & Water’s 2025 water quality report. No results over a legal limit; 5 above a health goal or guideline.
Serves about 659,500 people · Water system ID TN0000450 · Read the district’s 2025 report (opens in a new tab)
Open this district in the water lookupCompare with your own test results, see the district map and get matched filters.
Results from the 2025 report
Each number is copied from the district’s report and links to the page it’s printed on. Where the report lists several plants, wells or purchased water, the highest is shown.
| Contaminant | Result | Health goal | Legal limit | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copper90th percentile of 50 homes tested, 0 over the action level · sampled 2024 · Customer taps (50 homes) · 2025 report, page 5 | 0.34 ppm | 0.3 ppm | 1.3 ppm (action level) | Above the health goal1.1x the health goal |
| Gross alpha (radioactivity)average · range 0.5 to 0.8 · sampled 2021 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 7 | 0.7 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 15 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Lead90th percentile of 50 homes tested, 0 over the action level · sampled 2024 · Customer taps (50 homes) · 2025 report, page 5 | 4.73 ppb | 0.2 ppb | 15 ppb (action level) | Above the health goal24x the health goal |
| Radium (combined 226 + 228)average · range 0.4 to 0.9 · sampled 2021 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 7 | 0.6 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 5 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Total coliform bacteriahighest month · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 6 | 0.41 % positive | 0 % positive | 5 % positive | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Chlorideaverage · range 2.4 to 6.2 · Treatment plants (average) · 2025 report, page 7 | 4.6 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Chlorineaverage · range 0.11 to 1.99 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 6 | 1.2 ppm | None set | 4 ppm | Below the legal limit |
| Disinfection byproducts (HAA5)average · range 0.01 to 4.13 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 6 | 1.29 ppb | None set | 60 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Disinfection byproducts (TTHM)average · range 2.06 to 26.7 · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 6 | 9.36 ppb | None set | 80 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Fluorideaverage · range 0.09 to 1.16 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 4 | 0.59 ppm | 1 ppm | 4 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Ironaverage · range 0.01 to 0.16 · Treatment plants (average) · 2025 report, page 7 | 0.01 ppm | — | 0.3 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Nitrate (as N)average · range 0.01 to 0.32 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 4 | 0.1 ppm | 10 ppm | 10 ppm | Below the health goal |
| pHaverage · range 6.2 to 7.9 · Treatment plants (average) · 2025 report, page 7 | 7.3 | — | — | Normal range |
| Sulfateaverage · range 2 to 8.1 · Treatment plants (average) · 2025 report, page 7 | 4.8 ppm | — | 250 ppm guideline | Within the guideline |
| Hardnessaverage · range 0.82 to 8.77 · Treatment plants (average) · 2025 report, page 7 | 2.81 gpg (48 ppm) | — | — | Soft |
| Sodiumaverage · range 6 to 14.7 · Treatment plants · 2025 report, page 4 | 8.9 ppm | None set | None | No health limit |
Utility results describe the whole system, measured where water enters the pipes, not your tap. Your home’s plumbing can add lead or copper.
What you can do
Nothing here is an emergency notice: if the district has a violation, it must tell customers directly. If you’d like to lower these at your tap, these are the treatments that remove them, and the catalog shows the models certified for each. Ranking is by certified removal; commissions never change the order.
Lead
Found: Copper, Lead
What removes it: Reverse osmosis or Certified carbon block or RO.
Radium and uranium
Found: Gross alpha (radioactivity), Radium (combined 226 + 228)
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
Bacteria and viruses
Found: Total coliform bacteria
What removes it: UV purification (and tell your utility).
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