Murfreesboro
Murfreesboro, TN water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
consolidated u.d. of rutherford co
surface water (rivers/reservoirs) · local government · PWSID TN0000791
Below EPA's 15 ppb lead action level at last testing.
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1
Murfreesboro is a mid-sized city and the 8th-largest in Tennessee, home to roughly 126,118 residents. Murfreesboro's drinking water comes largely from the same regional sources that serve Tennessee: Tennessee River, Cumberland River, and aquifers.
As elsewhere in Tennessee, the central challenge is aging infrastructure. Ample surface water; Memphis draws from a renowned deep sand aquifer it works to protect.
Tennessee reuses an estimated 3% of its treated wastewater and maintains minimal reuse programs; Murfreesboro tracks severe to extreme drought conditions on the U.S. Drought Monitor scale.
Explore the Tennessee profile for statewide context, or dig into the water issues shaping Murfreesboro below.
Rutherford County water quality
Source: EPA SDWIS · 2026 Q1
At a glance
- Population ~126,118 (8th-largest in Tennessee)
- Primary sources: Tennessee River, Cumberland River, and aquifers
- Drought: severe to extreme conditions
- State reuse rate: ~3% of wastewater
Statewide drought history
% of Tennessee in severe+ drought (Extreme (D3) now).
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Murfreesboro?
Murfreesboro's largest water system, CONSOLIDATED U.D. OF RUTHERFORD CO, serves about 221,871 people. EPA records show 1 health-based violation(s) since 2016 and a most-recent 90th-percentile lead level of 0.5 ppb (EPA action level is 15 ppb). Always check your own provider's annual Consumer Confidence Report.
Where does Murfreesboro get its water?
CONSOLIDATED U.D. OF RUTHERFORD CO draws primarily from surface water (rivers/reservoirs), part of Tennessee's supply from Tennessee River, Cumberland River, aquifers.