Maryville Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

The City of Maryville Utilities Department provides drinking water to approximately 30,000 residents in Maryville and parts of Blount County, Tennessee. The sole source is surface water from the Little River, drawn at the Little River Water Plant near the river's origin in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This conventional treatment facility processes raw water through coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection before distribution, with no groundwater or reservoir sources used.

The Little River watershed spans over 400 square miles in the Blue Ridge and Valley & Ridge physiographic provinces, protected upstream by national park boundaries. Geologically, the river cuts through layered Paleozoic formations including the Cambrian-Ordovician Conasauga Shale and limestone, with occasional Knox Group dolomite outcrops. The mountainous terrain promotes rapid surface runoff rather than prolonged contact with carbonate-rich rock, resulting in a soft water supply low in dissolved solids — unlike the hard groundwater from karst systems found elsewhere in Tennessee, such as the Central Basin limestones.

Soft water minimizes scale buildup in pipes, water heaters, and appliances, reducing energy costs and extending equipment life without frequent descaling. Dishwashers and washing machines perform efficiently with less detergent, and soap lathers readily with no scum residues. No water softener is needed; basic maintenance such as annual filter checks is sufficient. The utility meets EPA standards with pH typically stable at 7.0–8.0 post-treatment, lead and copper levels below action limits, and PFAS at low or non-detect levels. Recent assessments note 6 contaminants exceeding non-enforceable health goals — including minor disinfection byproducts and trace haloacetic acids — but all regulated limits are met.