Benton County, TN
drinking water quality
16,173 residents · 10 public water systems · 4 ZIP codes
EPA sampled 1 of 10 public water systems here, together serving about 10,013 people. The highest reading was PFOS at 24 ng/L at Camden Water Dept. 1 of the sampled system was above a federal limit. Last sampled 8/13/2024.
What was found
| Compound | Highest result | Federal limit | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFOS | 24 ng/L | 4 ng/L | 6.0× |
| PFOA | 13 ng/L | 4 ng/L | 3.3× |
| PFHxS | 3.5 ng/L | 10 ng/L | 0.3× |
Also detected, with no federal limit set: PFBA (12 ng/L), PFBS (5.1 ng/L), PFHxA (4.6 ng/L), PFHpA (3.1 ng/L).
What this means
PFAS are industrial chemicals that EPA describes as breaking down only very slowly in the environment. In April 2024 EPA set the first enforceable national limits: 4 ng/L for PFOA and PFOS, 10 ng/L for PFHxS, PFNA and GenX.
These figures are county-level and come from EPA’s sampling of public water systems. They describe the worst result found in the county, not what comes out of any particular tap — that depends on which system serves the address, and on the plumbing in the building. A private well is not covered by this programme at all.
ZIP codes in Benton County
38221 · 38320 · 38333 · 38341
Readings are county-level, so every ZIP here shares the figure above. Search your ZIP on the map to see it in context.