Public water system · TN0000138
ActiveCherokee Hills U.D.
At a glance
Cherokee Hills U.D. (PWSID TN0000138) is an active community water system in Polk County, Tennessee. It reports serving 258 people through 116 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2025.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
258
Service connections
116
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Cherokee Hills U.D. compare with other water systems in Polk County?
By EPA's size categories, Cherokee Hills U.D. is a very small system (500 people or fewer). Polk County has 17 active public water systems, and Cherokee Hills U.D. is the 5th-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about half of the county average of 497 people per system, and accounts for 3.1% of the 8,453 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 Cherokee Hills U.D. is well below 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. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. 1,038 Tennessee systems (75%) list groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Cherokee Hills U.D.?
EPA lists Cherokee Hills U.D. 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. 4 of the 17 active systems in Polk County (24%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Cherokee Hills U.D. have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2025. The violations listed here began between April 1998 and July 2025. By type: 7 monitoring and reporting, 2 required treatment not met, 1 public notice, recordkeeping or other, 1 monitoring and 1 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Lead and Copper Rule (2 of them). EPA lists 9 as resolved, 2 as archived and 1 as unaddressed. 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. Unaddressed means the violation is not resolved or archived and is not yet covered by formal enforcement.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Inadequate Reporting · code 72 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Unaddressed |
| 2022-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingLead Consumer Notice · code 66 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2021-02-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2021-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Resolved |
| 2011-09-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2011-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Resolved |
| 2004-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2004-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2003-08-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2000-06-01 | Monitoring and reportingWater Quality Parameter M/R · code 53 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 1998-05-01 | Required treatment not metFailure to Filter (SWTR) · code 42 | Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0200 | Yes | Archived |
| 1998-04-01 | Required treatment not metFailure to Filter (SWTR) · code 42 | Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0200 | Yes | 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.
Cherokee Hills U.D.: frequently asked questions
Who runs Cherokee Hills U.D.?
Cherokee Hills U.D. (PWSID TN0000138) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the TN state drinking water program.
How many people does Cherokee Hills U.D. serve?
Cherokee Hills U.D. reports serving 258 people through 116 service connections in Polk County, Tennessee.
Where does Cherokee Hills U.D. get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as groundwater. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers.
Does Cherokee Hills U.D. have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2025. 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 Cherokee Hills U.D.'s 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, 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2025. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the TN state drinking water program.
Where can I find Cherokee Hills U.D.'s water quality report?
As a community water system, Cherokee Hills U.D. 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 Polk County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copper Basin Utility District | Polk | 2,710 | Community | Surface water |
| Benton Water System | Polk | 2,491 | Community | Groundwater |
| Copperhill Water Dept | Polk | 1,217 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Chilhowee - Usfs | Polk | 568 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Mac Point - Usfs | Polk | 200 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Ocoee Adventure Center | Polk | 150 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
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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, “Cherokee Hills U.D., PWSID TN0000138, Tennessee”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/tennessee/cherokee-hills-u-d-tn0000138 (data as of October 1, 2026).