Public water system · TN0000073
ActiveBristol Dept of Utilities
At a glance
Bristol Dept of Utilities (PWSID TN0000073) is an active community water system in Sullivan County, Tennessee. It reports serving 37,648 people through 16,158 service connections. Its primary water source is surface water, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2022.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
37,648
Service connections
16,158
Primary source
SW
Surface water
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Bristol Dept of Utilities compare with other water systems in Sullivan County?
By EPA's size categories, Bristol Dept of Utilities is a large system (10,001 to 100,000 people). Sullivan County has 16 active public water systems, and Bristol Dept of Utilities is the 2nd-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 3.1 times the county average of 12,123 people per system, and accounts for 19% of the 193,961 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Tennessee, the 1,383 active systems average 5,780 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Bristol Dept of Utilities is about 5.6 times that figure.
What does “community water system” mean?
A community water system serves at least 15 connections used by year-round residents, or regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents. Homes, apartments and mobile-home parks are served by these. Tennessee has 450 active community water systems, 33% of the state's 1,383 active systems. Surface water means the system draws its water from rivers, lakes, streams or reservoirs. 151 Tennessee systems (11%) list surface water as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Bristol Dept of Utilities?
EPA lists Bristol Dept of Utilities as owned by a local government. The TN state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 9 of the 16 active systems in Sullivan County (56%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Bristol Dept of Utilities have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2022. The violations listed here began between January 1988 and July 2022. By type: 11 monitoring and reporting and 1 public notice, recordkeeping or other. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Chlorine (3 of them). EPA lists 6 as resolved and 6 as archived. Resolved means at least one resolving action is on record: the system returned to compliance, the rule no longer applies, or no further action was needed. Archived means the violation was not marked resolved but is more than five years past the end of the noncompliance period, so it no longer counts toward current compliance status.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-01-02 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Source Water (LT2) · code 32 | Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0800 | No | Resolved |
| 2004-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Resolved |
| 2004-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Resolved |
| 2004-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Resolved |
| 1994-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingWater Quality Parameter M/R · code 53 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 1991-03-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1991-02-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1991-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1988-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Toluenecode 2991 | No | Archived |
| 1988-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Ethylbenzenecode 2992 | No | Archived |
| 1988-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Tetrachloroethylenecode 2987 | No | Archived |
The 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, newest first. Labels and codes come from EPA's SDWIS reference tables. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found. "Health-based" marks violations of a legal limit or required treatment.
Bristol Dept of Utilities: frequently asked questions
Who runs Bristol Dept of Utilities?
Bristol Dept of Utilities (PWSID TN0000073) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the TN state drinking water program.
How many people does Bristol Dept of Utilities serve?
Bristol Dept of Utilities reports serving 37,648 people through 16,158 service connections in Sullivan County, Tennessee.
Where does Bristol Dept of Utilities get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as surface water. Surface water means the system draws its water from rivers, lakes, streams or reservoirs.
Does Bristol Dept of Utilities have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2022. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found.
Is Bristol Dept of Utilities' water safe to drink?
AquaCensus shows EPA compliance records, not current water test results, so it cannot say whether the water is safe at a given moment. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2022. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the TN state drinking water program.
Where can I find Bristol Dept of Utilities' water quality report?
As a community water system, Bristol Dept of Utilities must deliver an annual water quality report, called a Consumer Confidence Report, to its customers by July 1 each year, covering the previous calendar year. The system can provide a copy on request.
Other water systems in Sullivan County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kingsport Water Dept | Sullivan | 107,739 | Community | Surface water |
| Blountville Utility District | Sullivan | 15,647 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Bloomingdale Utility District | Sullivan | 13,318 | Community | Surface water |
| South Fork Utility District | Sullivan | 7,645 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Bristol-Bluff City U.D. | Sullivan | 6,268 | Community | Surface water |
| Bluff City Water Department | Sullivan | 2,763 | Community | Groundwater under influence of surface water |
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About this data
Source: U.S. EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and SDWA violation records, via EPA ECHO, as published October 1, 2026 — AquaCensus refreshes it quarterly. See the methodology for how records are matched, cleaned and scored.
Cite as: AquaCensus, “Bristol Dept of Utilities, PWSID TN0000073, Tennessee”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/tennessee/bristol-dept-of-utilities-tn0000073 (data as of October 1, 2026).