Public water-supply systems and associated water use in Tennessee, 2005

Open-File Report 2010-1226
Prepared in Cooperation with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Division of Water Supply
By:  and 

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Abstract

Public water-supply systems in Tennessee provide water to for domestic, industrial, and commercial uses, and municipal services. In 2005, more than 569 public water-supply systems distributed about 920 million gallons per day (Mgal/d) of non-purchased surface water and groundwater to a population of nearly 6 million in Tennessee. Surface-water sources provided 64 percent (about 591 Mgal/d) of the State's water supplies. Groundwater produced from wells and springs in Middle and East Tennessee and from wells in West Tennessee provided 36 percent (about 329 Mgal/d) of the public water supplies. Gross per capita water use for Tennessee in 2005 was about 171 gallons per day. Water withdrawals by public water-supply systems in Tennessee have increased from 250 Mgal/d in 1955 to 920 Mgal/d in 2005. Tennessee public water-supply systems withdraw less groundwater than surface water, and surface-water use has increased at a faster rate than groundwater use. However, 34 systems reported increased groundwater withdrawals during 2000–2005, and 15 of these 34 systems reported increases of 1 Mgal/d or more. The county with the largest surface-water withdrawal rate (130 Mgal/d) was Davidson County. Each of Tennessee's 95 counties was served by at least one public water-supply system in 2005. The largest groundwater withdrawal rate (about 167 Mgal/d) by a single public water-supply system was reported by Memphis Light, Gas and Water, which served 654,267 people in Shelby County in 2005.

Study Area

Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Public water-supply systems and associated water use in Tennessee, 2005
Series title Open-File Report
Series number 2010-1226
DOI 10.3133/ofr20101226
Year Published 2010
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) Tennessee Water Science Center
Description iv, 14 p.; Supplements A-C; Index
First page i
Last page 100
Time Range Start 2005-01-01
Time Range End 2005-12-31
Country United States
State Tennessee
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
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