Public water system · TN0000169
ActiveNorthwest Utility District
At a glance
Northwest Utility District (PWSID TN0000169) is an active community water system in Hamilton County, Tennessee. It reports serving 20,710 people through 8,702 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, 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2024.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
20,710
Service connections
8,702
Primary source
SW
Surface water
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Northwest Utility District compare with other water systems in Hamilton County?
By EPA's size categories, Northwest Utility District is a large system (10,001 to 100,000 people). Hamilton County has 11 active public water systems, and Northwest Utility District is the 5th-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 44% below the county average of 37,270 people per system, and accounts for 5.1% of the 409,965 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 Northwest Utility District is about 3.1 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 Northwest Utility District?
EPA lists Northwest Utility District 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. 7 of the 11 active systems in Hamilton County (64%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Northwest Utility District have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2024. The violations listed here began between January 1995 and July 2024. By type: 9 monitoring and reporting, 2 contaminant level above the legal limit and 1 public notice, recordkeeping or other. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2020-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2020-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2015-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2015-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2004-11-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2001-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 1999-02-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1997-09-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1997-09-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 1996-05-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1995-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Glyphosatecode 2034 | 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.
Northwest Utility District: frequently asked questions
Who runs Northwest Utility District?
Northwest Utility District (PWSID TN0000169) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the TN state drinking water program.
How many people does Northwest Utility District serve?
Northwest Utility District reports serving 20,710 people through 8,702 service connections in Hamilton County, Tennessee.
Where does Northwest Utility District 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 Northwest Utility District 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 July 2024. 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 Northwest Utility District'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 July 2024. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the TN state drinking water program.
Where can I find Northwest Utility District's water quality report?
As a community water system, Northwest Utility District 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 Hamilton County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee American Water | Hamilton | 207,046 | Community | Surface water |
| Hixson Utility District | Hamilton | 68,306 | Community | Groundwater |
| Eastside Utility District | Hamilton | 59,612 | Community | Surface water |
| Savannah Valley U.D. | Hamilton | 30,571 | Community | Groundwater under influence of surface water |
| Walden'S Ridge U.D. | Hamilton | 9,265 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Signal Mountain Water System | Hamilton | 7,761 | Community | Purchased 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, “Northwest Utility District, PWSID TN0000169, Tennessee”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/tennessee/northwest-utility-district-tn0000169 (data as of October 1, 2026).