Is tap water safe in Jackson?

EPA SDWIS shows no active health-based violation in this profile's reporting window. That is not the same as proving every contaminant is absent, and federal data can lag state and utility records.

How hard is the water in Jackson, TN?

Nearby USGS observations produce an estimate of 33.4 ppm (2 grains per gallon), classified as soft. This is not a tap measurement.

Do I need a water softener in ZIP code 38301?

There is no high-hardness trigger in this profile. Confirm conditions with an at-home hardness test before purchasing equipment.

City water profile

Jackson water quality

Compare local ZIP estimates, evidence quality, associated public systems, and compliance history for Jackson, Tennessee.

Median indexed hardness

32PPM

2 indexed ZIPs

Range 29.8–33.4 PPM

State comparison: 18 PPM below
State hardness rank: #147 of 222
Matched utilities: 2
Active health records: 0

City summary

What the indexed records say

Jackson has 2 published ZIP profiles across Madison County. The indexed median is 32 PPM, compared with 50 PPM across Tennessee.

Among the 222 Tennesseecities with an indexed median, Jackson ranks #147from highest to lowest. Across all 323 state ZIP profiles, available estimates run from 4.5to 247 PPM.

The 29.8–33.4 PPM range shows how much the available ZIP estimates vary within the city label.

Hardness distribution

How local ZIP estimates compare

Soft2 ZIPs

Moderately hard0 ZIPs

Hard0 ZIPs

Very hard0 ZIPs

2 of 2 ZIP profiles have a hardness estimate. Bars count ZIP profiles, not households or laboratory samples.

Evidence quality

Distance, dates, and confidence

Median nearest distance: 4.3 miles
Profiles with evidence: 2/2

Confidence labels

High: 0Moderate: 2Low: 0

Observation window: Feb 29, 2016 to Jun 4, 2026.

ZIP directory

Water reports in Jackson

Open a ZIP for site-level provenance and measurements.

ZIP code

38301

Soft

33.4 PPM

Nearest site: 4.2 mi
Confidence: Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

ZIP code

38305

Soft

29.8 PPM

Nearest site: 4.3 mi
Confidence: Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

Public water systems

Utilities associated with this city

Jackson Water System

PWSID TN0000299

Groundwater

System population served: 91,111
Last reported: May 14, 2026

The system names this served city; Census place overlap links the city to this ZCTA.

Saltillo Utility District

PWSID TN0000606

Groundwater

System population served: 2,216
Last reported: May 14, 2026

The system names this served city; Census place overlap links the city to this ZCTA.

Compliance history

What EPA records show

No active health-based violation appears among the associated systems in the represented EPA reporting quarter. This does not mean every contaminant was tested at every tap.

Record	System	Period	Status
Consumer Confidence Rule	TN0000606	Jul 1, 2025	Unaddressed

Practical next steps

Move from index to evidence

1. Open your ZIP. Check distance, dates, confidence, and the associated utility.
2. Read the current CCR. Confirm source water, detections, limits, ranges, and notices.
3. Test the tap when needed. Confirm health concerns or treatment sizing with the right method.

Continue comparing

Other Tennessee communities

Mercer

Madison County

41 PPM median

Linden

Perry County

32 PPM median

Mcewen

Humphreys County

32 PPM median

Dayton

Rhea County

32 PPM median

Decatur

Meigs County

32 PPM median

Newbern

Dyer County

32 PPM median

Search all 222 Tennessee cities →

Questions people ask

About water in Jackson

Is the water hard?

The indexed city median is 32 PPM. Open the ZIP report to verify the distance and confidence behind that estimate.

Is the tap water safe?

Compliance history is utility-wide and cannot guarantee conditions at every tap. Check current notices and test when address-specific evidence is needed.

Do I need treatment?

Choose treatment only after confirming the problem at the property. A softener targets hardness; contaminant treatment requires a matching, verified performance claim.