Legal limits do not equal optimal health. All contaminants on this page are within EPA legal limits. Clarksville's 2025 report states the water "not only meets, but exceeds federal and state drinking water standards." EWG exceedances reflect EWG's more conservative health thresholds — not regulatory violations. This guide explains what's in Clarksville-area water and what removes it.
2025 Official Data — Clarksville Water Quality
The Clarksville Gas and Water 2025 Water Quality report provides officially verified water characteristics. The Woodlawn Utility District 2025 CCR provides detailed contaminant data. Here are the most important verified numbers:
range 78–132 PPM (4.56–7.71 GPG)
Moderately Hard — Cumberland River source
range 7.0–8.4 — slightly alkaline
TTHMs: 68.35 ppb avg (35.80–74.0 range) — within EPA 80 ppb limit. HAA5: 50.75 ppb avg (27.20–54.80 range) — within EPA 60 ppb limit. Chlorine: 1.50 ppm avg (0.30–2.60 range). Lead: 90th percentile 1.0 ppb — 0 of 30 households exceeded action level. Copper: 90th percentile 0.16 ppm. Sodium: 7.08 ppm. Sulfate: 16.9 ppm. Turbidity: 0.268 NTU max — 100% of samples below 0.3 NTU. Source: Cumberland River. Contact: Lynn Burkhart at 931-552-2921.
Source: groundwater aquifer on post — not the Cumberland River. Lead: Not detected during 2024 sampling. Turbidity: highest single measurement 0.2 NTU — 100% below 0.3 NTU limit. Service lines: 0 lead service lines found, 0 galvanized requiring replacement, 4,544 non-lead service lines confirmed. Managed by JACOBS. Contact Anthony Black (Facilities Supervisor) at 931-249-5836.
Your Three Clarksville-Area Utilities at a Glance
Clarksville and Montgomery County are served by three separate water systems with very different profiles. Clarksville Water Department and Woodlawn both draw from the Cumberland River. Fort Campbell is unique — it operates its own groundwater aquifer entirely on the military post.
Three utilities, two very different source waters
Clarksville Water Department and Woodlawn Utility District both draw from the Cumberland River — the same source water chemistry, the same disinfection byproduct drivers, the same filtration approach. Fort Campbell is a fundamentally different system: it operates a groundwater aquifer entirely on the military installation, protected by post security. This gives Fort Campbell a different contaminant profile — more contaminants detected overall (25 vs 14–15), but with different characteristics than surface water systems and lead not detected in 2024 testing.
Contaminants Exceeding EWG Health Guidelines
All contaminants below are within EPA legal limits. Woodlawn 2025 CCR figures are shown alongside EWG historical data where available. Clarksville and Fort Campbell figures are from EWG's database (2014–2024).
range 27.20–54.80
Fort Campbell Water System — A Different Profile
Fort Campbell's water system is unlike any other in the Clarksville area. Understanding how it differs is important for the 43,000+ people it serves on post.
For Fort Campbell residents: The utility is managed by JACOBS, privatized in 2003. Operators include two Grade IV certified staff (the highest level in Tennessee). For water quality questions, contact Anthony Black (Facilities Supervisor) at 931-249-5836 or the Water Department at 931-431-5677.
Context on Fort Campbell's 15 EWG exceedances: Having more contaminants above EWG guidelines does not necessarily mean Fort Campbell water is worse than Clarksville city water for your health. EWG's guidelines are extremely conservative (designed for a 1-in-1,000,000 lifetime cancer risk level). Fort Campbell's groundwater source includes naturally occurring minerals and legacy compounds that simply don't appear in surface water systems. All 2024 measurements were below EPA legal limits. The 0 detected lead result and fully inventoried service line system are meaningful positives.
All Three Utilities — Side-by-Side Comparison
| Contaminant / Data Point | EWG Guideline / EPA Limit | Clarksville WD TN0000116 |
Fort Campbell TN0000820 |
Woodlawn UD TN0000758 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bromodichloromethane | 0.06 ppb / no limit | 4.23 ppb · 70x | 2.90 ppb · 48x | 6.47 ppb · 108x |
| Chloroform | 0.4 ppb / no limit | 14.7 ppb · 37x | Groundwater profile | Above EWG |
| TTHMs (2025/2024 verified) | 0.15 ppb / 80 ppb | Above EWG | Above EWG | 68.35 ppb avg (35.8–74.0) |
| HAA5 (2025 verified) | 0.1 ppb / 60 ppb | Above EWG | Above EWG | 50.75 ppb avg (27.2–54.8) |
| Lead (most recent CCR) | 0 / AL 15 ppb | EWG data — verify with CCR | Not detected 2024 | 90th% 1.0 ppb — 0/30 exceeded AL |
| Hardness (2025 verified) | — / — | 97 PPM / 5.67 GPG avg | Groundwater — varies | Cumberland R. — similar to city |
| Source water | — | Cumberland River | Groundwater aquifer (on post) | Cumberland River |
| Above EWG / Total detected | — | 9 of 15 | 15 of 25 | 9 of 14 |
What Hard Water Is Doing to Your Home Every Day
At 97 PPM (5.67 GPG average), Clarksville's Cumberland River water creates daily effects most residents notice but rarely connect to their water supply. These aren't cleaning product problems — they're calcium and magnesium mineral effects from limestone geology in the Cumberland River watershed.
Calcium and magnesium ions disrupt the skin's moisture barrier after showering, causing dryness and irritation. Research links water hardness directly to eczema severity in children. At Clarksville's 5.67 GPG average, hard water coats the hair shaft with mineral deposits — hair feels rough and dull. Color-treated hair fades faster. A softener or KDF showerhead filter addresses this directly.
White spots and cloudy film on glasses are calcium carbonate — the same mineral that forms limestone. When Cumberland River hard water evaporates in your dishwasher, minerals bond to surfaces and won't wash off. Dishwasher detergent requires 50–75% more product to lather effectively. A softener eliminates spotting entirely and extends your dishwasher's heating element life.
Hard water interferes with detergent's ability to lift dirt — clothes need more product and longer cycles. Mineral deposits build up in fabric fibers: whites yellow, colors fade faster, clothes feel stiff. Studies show clothes washed in hard water wear out up to 15% faster. Towels lose absorbency. A softener restores detergent effectiveness and extends the life of every garment.
Scale buildup on water heater elements reduces efficiency by 8% per GPG (U.S. Dept. of Energy). At Clarksville's 5.67 GPG average — and up to 7.71 GPG in high-range periods — scale accumulates in hot water systems over 2–4 years. Dishwashers, washing machines, and coffee makers degrade faster. Tankless water heater heat exchangers are the most vulnerable appliance.
Cumberland River Limestone Hard Water in Clarksville
Clarksville's Cumberland River source flows through limestone geology in Middle Tennessee, picking up calcium and magnesium that treatment does not remove. The City's 2025 water quality report confirms average hardness at 97 PPM (5.67 GPG) with a range of 78–132 PPM (4.56–7.71 GPG) — classified as moderately hard to hard. Woodlawn Utility District customers on the same Cumberland River source have similar hardness. Fort Campbell groundwater hardness varies independently.
Clarksville Hard Water Impact Calculator
Enter your water's hardness reading to see classification, appliance lifespan impact, and recommended softener size. Default set to Clarksville's 2025 verified average.
Cumberland River Limestone Hard Water Impact Calculator
Defaults set to Clarksville's 2025 official average of 5.67 GPG (97 PPM). Adjust to match your specific test results.
Soft 3.5 GPG
Slightly Hard 7 GPG
Hard 10.5 GPG
Extremely Hard
Eco120°F
Standard130°F140°F
Tankless
PPM / mg/L (CCR units)
Grains per gallon
0–3 Mod. Hard
3–5 Hard
7–10 Extremely Hard
10.5+
Clarksville Area Water Guide by Location
Which utility serves your address depends on your location in Montgomery County. Here's what you need to know based on where you live.
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Chlorine Residual in Clarksville Water
Clarksville Department of Electricity (CDE Lightband) and Clarksville Water & Sewer use chlorine as their primary disinfectant. While chlorine effectively kills bacteria and viruses, the residual that reaches your tap is worth knowing — especially because it directly drives the formation of the disinfection byproducts (TTHMs, HAAs, chloroform, bromodichloromethane) that are Clarksville’s biggest water quality concerns.
Clarksville tap water runs at pool-level chlorine concentration
Clarksville-area utilities run chlorine residuals estimated at approximately 1.50 ppm at the tap — within the typical range for Cumberland River source water utilities in Middle Tennessee. For comparison, the EPA-recommended range for a swimming pool is 1.0–3.0 ppm — meaning your Clarksville tap water contains chlorine at roughly the same concentration as pool water. This is within legal limits and effective for disinfection, but it is the direct cause of the elevated TTHMs and haloacetic acids in Clarksville water. An NSF/ANSI 42-certified activated carbon filter removes chlorine taste and odor completely and reduces the formation of disinfection byproducts at the point of use.
Bottom line: You cannot taste or smell chlorine at ~1.50 ppm the way you do in a pool because pool water is on your skin, not passing through your palate. But the chemistry is the same — and in Clarksville water it reacts with source water organic matter to form TTHMs and haloacetic acids above EWG guidelines. A whole-house activated carbon system is the most effective way to intercept chlorine before it reacts with your pipes and fixtures.
What chlorine at pool levels does to your body and home
Chlorine strips the skin’s natural oils and disrupts the moisture barrier. At ~1.50 ppm — daily shower exposure — it causes dryness, itching, and irritation. People with eczema or sensitive skin often notice significant improvement after installing a whole-home carbon filtration system.
Chlorine oxidizes hair proteins, breaking down the outer cuticle layer. This causes dryness, frizz, brittleness, and color fade in dyed hair. At pool-range concentrations, daily washing strips the natural sebum that keeps hair supple. A shower-head carbon filter or whole-house system prevents this entirely.
Chlorine is an antimicrobial agent — that is exactly why utilities use it. Consumed daily in drinking water, it does not distinguish between harmful pathogens and beneficial gut microbiome bacteria. Emerging research links chronic chlorinated water consumption to microbiome disruption and digestive sensitivity. An under-sink carbon or RO filter removes chlorine from drinking water completely.
Chlorine bleaches and degrades fabric fibers over time, causing colors to fade faster, whites to yellow, and fabrics to wear thin sooner than they should. This is especially noticeable on dark clothing and athletic wear. Whole-house activated carbon filtration extends the life of clothes and towels significantly — a measurable return on investment over time.
The same pool-level chlorine that causes red, irritated eyes when swimming is present in your shower steam. Daily inhalation of chlorinated steam during showers exposes mucous membranes to chlorine gas byproducts. People with asthma or respiratory sensitivity often notice shower-steam irritation that disappears after installing a carbon shower filter.
Dogs and cats absorb chlorine through their skin and ingest it while drinking tap water. Many pet owners report improved coat condition after switching to filtered water. Chlorinated water also stresses chlorine-sensitive houseplants — fiddle leaf figs, ferns, and tropical plants in particular. Letting tap water sit overnight allows some chlorine to off-gas, but carbon filtration removes it completely and instantly.
Chlorine and newborn health in Clarksville
Infants under 12 months should not drink tap water containing chlorine without filtration — including water used to mix formula. Clarksville’s verified ~1.50 ppm chlorine residual is the highest in the Middle Tennessee guide series — nearly double Nashville’s 1.60 ppm. The EPA sets no specific infant standard for chlorine, but pediatric health research consistently identifies disinfection byproducts (TTHMs, HAAs) from Duck River chlorination as a concern for early-life exposure.
Chlorine and its byproducts (TTHMs, HAAs) concentrate in formula made with unfiltered tap water. At ~1.50 ppm — at the top of the pool range — Clarksville tap water carries the highest disinfection byproduct formation potential of any city in this series. An NSF/ANSI 42 activated carbon filter at the kitchen tap removes chlorine completely before mixing.
A newborn’s gut microbiome is still colonizing in the first months of life. Chlorine is antimicrobial by design — it does not distinguish between pathogens and beneficial bacteria. Filtered water is recommended for all infant consumption during this critical developmental window.
A newborn’s skin is 20–30% thinner than adult skin and absorbs chlorine during bathing. Pool-level residuals in tap water dry and irritate the developing skin barrier. A whole-home carbon filter removes chlorine from bath water — the most complete protection for infants bathing daily.
Chlorine off-gasses from warm water. During an infant bath or humidifier use with unfiltered tap water, the baby inhales chlorinated steam — a concern for developing lungs and airways. Whole-home carbon filtration removes chlorine before it reaches the tap, eliminating this exposure pathway.
If you have a newborn or are expecting: An NSF/ANSI 42 activated carbon filter at the kitchen tap removes chlorine from drinking and formula water. A whole-home carbon system removes it from bath water and humidifiers as well. At Clarksville’s ~1.50 ppm level — the highest in Middle Tennessee — this is the single most important water filter investment for any household with a newborn.
The fix is simple and affordable. An NSF/ANSI 42-certified activated carbon filter — whether whole-house or under-sink — removes chlorine completely at the point of use. For Clarksville homes concerned about chlorine and Cumberland River disinfection byproducts, TTHMs, HAAs), a whole-house carbon system addresses both problems in one installation. See the filter recommendations below for Clarksville-specific sizing and pricing.
Filter Recommendations for Clarksville Homes
Filter Recommendations for Clarksville Homes
Disinfection byproducts from the Cumberland River are the dominant chemical concern for Clarksville and Woodlawn customers. Moderate limestone hardness (5.67 GPG avg) is the primary infrastructure concern.
The Clarksville Water Treatment Recommendation
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