Legal limits do not equal optimal health. All contaminants on this page are within EPA legal limits. EWG exceedances reflect EWG’s more conservative health thresholds — not regulatory violations. La Vergne water is legally safe to drink.
La Vergne Water System: No Lead Found in Entire Distribution System · 68 New Sampling Stations Added 2024
The City of La Vergne completed a full Lead Service Line Inventory covering all service lines installed before July 1988 (prior to the lead ban). Upon completion: NO LEAD SERVICE LINES were found anywhere in the distribution system. In 2024, 68 additional sampling stations were added by City of La Vergne Public Works, expanding the monitoring network. The 2025 CCR confirms 0 of 30 households exceeded the lead action level (AL: 15 ppb). The completed service line inventory is publicly available at lavergnetn.gov → Departments → Utilities → Water Treatment Plant → “Lead Service Line Inventory.”
2025 CCR Data — La Vergne Water System
La Vergne Water System (TN0000386) is managed by Inframark for the City of La Vergne. Source: Percy Priest Lake (surface water). TDEC Source Water Assessment: reasonably susceptible to potential contamination. The system draws from the same reservoir as Smyrna Water System and Consolidated UD of Rutherford, though treatment is independent.
Percy Priest Lake · Surface water
LSLI complete · all lines verified
Lead action level: 15 ppb
Full EPA compliance
Source: Percy Priest Lake (surface water). TDEC SWAP: reasonably susceptible. Lead Service Line Inventory: Complete — all service lines installed before July 1988 visually inspected. NO LEAD SERVICE LINES found in the entire distribution system. Completed inventory publicly available at lavergnetn.gov. Lead (2025): 0/30 exceeded action level (AL: 15 ppb). Turbidity: 100% of samples below monthly limit. 68 new sampling stations added in 2024 by City of La Vergne Public Works. TTHMs: Above EWG guidelines per EWG historical database (TN0000386, 2013–2023) — within EPA 80 ppb limit. Bromodichloromethane: Above EWG guidelines per EWG historical data. Zero violations 2025. Contact: Danny Campbell at Inframark, 615-793-6536 option 2. Security concerns: 615-793-7744.
Four Utilities Serving the La Vergne Area (37086)
La Vergne zip code 37086 is served primarily by La Vergne Water System. EWG also lists Gladeville Utility District, Smyrna Water System, and Nashville Metro Water Services as additional utilities serving this area. Check your water bill to confirm which serves your address.
La Vergne Water System
Gladeville Utility District
Nashville Metro Water Services
La Vergne: Percy Priest Lake, no lead, and a Rutherford County hard water reality
La Vergne sits in northern Rutherford County between Nashville and Murfreesboro, on the shore of Percy Priest Lake. The water system draws from the same reservoir as Smyrna Water System (the Stones River) and is managed independently by Inframark. The no-lead finding across the entire distribution system is the defining positive for La Vergne residents. The primary water quality concern is disinfection byproducts (TTHMs and bromodichloromethane) from Percy Priest Lake surface water chlorination — a challenge shared by all area surface water utilities. Rutherford County limestone makes hard water a significant daily impact issue.
Priest
GPG
Contaminants in La Vergne TN Water
All contaminants below are within EPA legal limits. La Vergne Water System 2025 CCR confirms zero violations. EWG historical data (2013–2023) provides contaminant-level detail by substance. The primary concerns are disinfection byproducts from Percy Priest Lake surface water chlorination.
EWG historical data
Same Percy Priest Lake / Stones River source
EWG 2013–2023 data
Same Percy Priest / Stones River source
Same Percy Priest Lake source
Same Percy Priest Lake watershed
0/30 exceeded lead AL (2025)
by City of La Vergne Public Works (2024)
La Vergne Area Utilities — Side-by-Side Comparison
| Metric | La Vergne WS TN0000386 (2025) |
Gladeville UD TN0000264 (2025) |
Smyrna WS TN0000639 (2025) |
Nashville MWS TN0000494 (2025) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Source | Percy Priest Lake (surface) | Groundwater (3 wells) | Stones River / Percy Priest (surface) | Cumberland River (surface) |
| TTHMs | Above EWG (EWG hist.) | Not primary concern (GW) | 47.08 ppb LRAA (2025 CCR) | 43.5 ppb LRAA (2025 CCR) |
| HAA5 | Above EWG (EWG hist.) | Not primary concern (GW) | 27.73 ppb LRAA (2025 CCR) | 27.8 ppb LRAA (2025 CCR) |
| Bromodichloromethane | Above EWG (EWG hist.) | Above EWG (EWG hist.) | 6.49 ppb · 108x (EWG hist.) | 1.60 ppb · 27x (EWG hist.) |
| Chromium-6 | Above EWG (EWG hist.) | Above EWG (EWG hist.) | Above EWG (EWG hist.) | Above EWG (EWG hist.) |
| Nitrate | Above EWG (EWG hist.) | Above EWG (EWG hist.) | 1.02 ppm · 7.3x (2025 CCR) | 0.362 ppm · 2.6x (2025 CCR) |
| Lead (most recent) | 0/30 exceeded AL (2025) | No lead found (LSLI 2024) | ND 90th% · 0/30 (2023) | 0.8 ppb · 0/85 (2025) |
| Lead in distribution | No lead found (LSLI complete) | No lead found (LSLI 2024) | No lead service lines | Not specified |
| Violations 2024/25 | Zero (2025) | Zero (2025) | Zero (2025) | Zero (2025) |
| Above EWG / Total | 8+ above EWG | 12 of 19 — highest | 11 of 25 | 7 of 11 |
Protecting Children & Pregnant Women in La Vergne
La Vergne’s excellent lead results provide real reassurance for families. Disinfection byproducts from Percy Priest Lake chlorination are the primary concern for pregnant women and young children.
Disinfection byproducts have been linked in studies to pregnancy complications including low birth weight and preterm birth at sustained exposure levels. La Vergne’s Percy Priest Lake source shares the same watershed as Smyrna WS (47.08 ppb LRAA per 2025 CCR). The first trimester is the highest-risk window. A whole-house carbon filter plus under-sink RO provides the most complete protection during pregnancy.
La Vergne Water System: 0/30 exceeded lead AL (2025), no lead in distribution system. 68 new sampling stations added 2024. These are exceptional results. However, lead can still come from home plumbing in pre-1986 homes. La Vergne has housing built across multiple decades. Flush cold tap 30 seconds before use in older homes. Use NSF/ANSI 53 certified filter in any pre-1986 home.
No La Vergne area utility approaches the EPA 10 ppm acute nitrate limit. For infants under 6 months, use RO-filtered water for all formula preparation. Never boil tap water for infant formula — boiling concentrates nitrate rather than removing it. Carbon filters do NOT remove nitrate.
La Vergne Water System’s 2025 CCR does not specify PFAS results. The EPA finalized a 4 ppt MCL for PFOA/PFOS in April 2024; utilities have until 2029 to comply. Studies link PFAS to immune suppression, thyroid disruption, and developmental effects in children. Reverse osmosis provides the most complete household PFAS treatment regardless of current monitoring results.
Your Pets & La Vergne Water Quality
The same disinfection byproducts detected in La Vergne water affect pets at proportionally higher exposure per unit body weight. TTHMs and HAAs are the primary concern for household animals.
A 15-pound dog drinking the same TTHM-level water as a 160-pound adult receives roughly 10x the relative exposure per pound of body weight. Long-term TTHM exposure has been associated with elevated bladder cancer risk in some dog breeds. Fill your pet’s bowl from your RO-filtered tap.
Rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, and birds have tiny body masses — their relative contaminant exposure is far higher. RO-filtered water is strongly recommended for all small caged animals and birds in La Vergne.
Chlorine in La Vergne tap water is directly toxic to fish and aquarium invertebrates at concentrations safe for humans. Never add untreated tap water to a tank. Activated carbon removes free chlorine. RO is the gold standard for sensitive species, reef tanks, and shrimp. Never boil tap water for aquarium use.
Dogs and cats: RO-filtered tap water for their bowl. Whole-house carbon is a meaningful improvement. Small animals and birds: RO or filtered water strongly recommended. Fish: Always dechlorinate tap water before adding to tanks. Use RO for sensitive species.
What Hard Water Is Doing to Your La Vergne Home Every Day
La Vergne sits on Rutherford County limestone geology, and Percy Priest Lake collects calcium and magnesium as water flows over it. Treatment does not remove hardness. At 10–12 GPG, La Vergne water is in the Extremely Hard zone — significantly harder than Nashville and among the hardest in Middle Tennessee.
At 10–12 GPG, calcium and magnesium ions severely disrupt the skin’s moisture barrier after showering — noticeable dryness, irritation, and soap scum buildup on shower surfaces. Increased eczema risk for children. Hair feels coarser, duller, and harder to manage. Color-treated hair fades faster in La Vergne than in most of Tennessee.
La Vergne’s hard water leaves heavy white spots and thick cloudy calcium carbonate film on glassware, dishes, and shower doors. At 10–12 GPG, dishwasher detergent effectiveness drops dramatically. A softener eliminates spotting entirely and dramatically reduces detergent use and cost.
At Extremely Hard water levels, mineral deposits build rapidly in fabric fibers — clothes feel stiff, whites yellow faster, colors fade, and towels lose absorbency. Clothes washed in Extremely Hard water wear out up to 20% faster than in soft water. A softener extends garment life and restores detergent effectiveness significantly.
Scale reduces water heater efficiency 8% per GPG (U.S. Dept. of Energy). At 10–12 GPG, Rutherford County water causes among the most aggressive scale buildup in Middle Tennessee. Calcium deposits on heating elements dramatically shorten appliance life. A softener is essentially mandatory for appliance protection at this hardness level.
Rutherford County Limestone — Extremely Hard Water in La Vergne
La Vergne draws from Percy Priest Lake, which flows over Rutherford County’s limestone geology — picking up calcium and magnesium that water treatment does not remove. Typical estimates for La Vergne Water System customers are 10–12 GPG (Extremely Hard zone). For comparison, Nashville MWS’s 2025 CCR confirms 5.88 GPG average. La Vergne water is roughly twice as hard as Nashville’s — a real daily impact that a softener addresses directly.
La Vergne Hard Water Impact Calculator
Rutherford County Limestone Hard Water Impact Calculator
Default: 11 GPG — estimated La Vergne / Rutherford County city water (Extremely Hard zone).
Soft 3.5 GPG
Slightly Hard 7–10 GPG
Hard 10.5 GPG
Extremely Hard
Eco120°F
Standard130°F140°F
Tankless
PPM / mg/L
Grains per gallon
0–3Mod. Hard
3–5Hard
7–10Extremely Hard
10.5+
La Vergne & Surrounding Area Water Guide
La Vergne zip 37086 is served by La Vergne Water System as the primary utility. Depending on your specific address, nearby utilities may also serve parts of the area.
Find Your Area
Chlorine Residual in La Vergne Water
La Vergne Water System uses chlorine as its 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 La Vergne’s biggest water quality concerns.
La Vergne tap water runs at pool-level chlorine concentration
La Vergne Water System’s chlorine residual is estimated at approximately ~1.53 ppm — similar to the Percy Priest Lake source utilities in the area. For comparison, the EPA-recommended range for a swimming pool is 1.0–3.0 ppm — meaning your La Vergne 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 La Vergne 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 ~1.53 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 La Vergne water it reacts with Percy Priest Lake organic matter to form disinfection byproducts including TTHMs and HAAs 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 ~1.53 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.
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 La Vergne homes concerned about chlorine and disinfection byproducts, TTHMs, HAAs), a whole-house carbon system addresses both problems in one installation. See the filter recommendations below for La Vergne-specific sizing and pricing.
Filter Recommendations for La Vergne Homes
La Vergne’s primary water quality concerns are disinfection byproducts (TTHMs and HAAs from Percy Priest Lake chlorination) and Rutherford County’s Extremely Hard water (estimated 10–12 GPG). The no-lead result is a meaningful positive that means RO priority is contaminants, not lead.
The La Vergne Water Treatment Recommendation
Get a personalized recommendation for your La Vergne address.
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