Public water system · TN0000255
ActiveGates Water Dept
At a glance
Gates Water Dept (PWSID TN0000255) is an active community water system in Lauderdale County, Tennessee. It reports serving 670 people through 280 service connections. Its primary water source is purchased groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 2022.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
670
Service connections
280
Primary source
GWP
Purchased groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Gates Water Dept compare with other water systems in Lauderdale County?
By EPA's size categories, Gates Water Dept is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Lauderdale County has 6 active public water systems, and Gates Water Dept is the 6th-largest of them by population served. Its population served is well below the county average of 4,594 people per system, and accounts for 2.4% of the 27,564 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 Gates Water Dept 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. Purchased groundwater means the system buys groundwater from another public water system rather than drawing its own. 22 Tennessee systems (1.6%) list purchased groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Gates Water Dept?
EPA lists Gates Water Dept 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. 5 of the 6 active systems in Lauderdale County (83%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Gates Water Dept have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 2022. The violations listed here began between June 1998 and January 2022. By type: 10 monitoring and reporting and 2 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (3 of them). EPA lists 9 as resolved and 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-01-10 | Monitoring and reportingLead Consumer Notice · code 66 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2021-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingLead Consumer Notice · code 66 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2020-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2020-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2014-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Alachlor (Lasso)code 2051 | No | Resolved |
| 2014-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Simazinecode 2037 | No | Resolved |
| 2014-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Atrazinecode 2050 | No | Resolved |
| 2014-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Picloramcode 2040 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Resolved |
| 1999-09-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 1998-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1998-06-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | 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.
Gates Water Dept: frequently asked questions
Who runs Gates Water Dept?
Gates Water Dept (PWSID TN0000255) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the TN state drinking water program.
How many people does Gates Water Dept serve?
Gates Water Dept reports serving 670 people through 280 service connections in Lauderdale County, Tennessee.
Where does Gates Water Dept get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as purchased groundwater. Purchased groundwater means the system buys groundwater from another public water system rather than drawing its own.
Does Gates Water Dept have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 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 Gates Water Dept'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, 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 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 Gates Water Dept's water quality report?
As a community water system, Gates Water Dept 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 Lauderdale County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lauderdale Co Water System | Lauderdale | 9,254 | Community | Groundwater |
| Ripley Water System | Lauderdale | 8,030 | Community | Groundwater |
| Halls Water System | Lauderdale | 5,287 | Community | Groundwater |
| West Tn State Penitentiary | Lauderdale | 3,250 | Community | Groundwater |
| Henning Water Dept | Lauderdale | 1,073 | 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, “Gates Water Dept, PWSID TN0000255, Tennessee”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/tennessee/gates-water-dept-tn0000255 (data as of October 1, 2026).