Is Collierville, TN Tap Water Safe to Drink?
Yes, Collierville tap water is safe to drink. No contaminants exceed health guidelines. However, Collierville has very hard water at 180 PPM, which will cause scale buildup in plumbing and appliances over time. A water softener is worth considering.
Hardness Scale: Where Collierville Falls
0Slightly
60Moderate
120Hard
180Very Hard
250Extreme
400+
How Collierville Compares
Collierville's water is 30% harder than the national average of 138 PPM. It ranks #377 out of 1000 cities in our database (harder than 62% of US cities we track). Within Tennessee, Collierville has the hardest water out of 20 cities - 88% above the state average of 96 PPM. Among cities (50k-100k), Collierville ranks #114 of 258 for hardness. At this hardness level, water heaters run an estimated 33% less efficiently due to scale insulation, and major water-using appliances typically last 3 years less than the national average lifespan.
What Collierville's Water Means for Your Home
Hardness: 180 PPM - Treatment Recommended
Collierville has some seriously hard water. At 180 PPM (10.5 grains per gallon), your tap is loaded with dissolved calcium and magnesium picked up from underground limestone and dolomite formations. Here's the thing: it's perfectly safe to drink. The minerals won't hurt you. But they will hurt your wallet. That adds up. Hard water at 180 PPM increases household costs through scale-coated water heaters that use more energy, extra soap and detergent, and appliances that wear out faster. Most Collierville homeowners don't realize it until the plumber shows up. That's 88% harder than the Tennessee average.
Contaminants & Safety
Beyond hardness, Collierville's water is within EPA guidelines for regulated contaminants. Chlorine sits at 1.2 mg/L — normal for municipal systems, but enough to notice. That said, 6 contaminants exceed EWG's stricter health guidelines — these are legal but worth understanding. If your water tastes like a pool or your skin feels dry after showers, a whole-house carbon filter is the simplest fix. A shower filter is a quick, affordable starting point that most people notice immediately. Want the full picture? Request your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for neighborhood-level data.
What's in the Treatment Process
Chromium-6 is naturally present in Collierville's aquifer geology at 0.138 ppb — 6.9x the EWG health guideline. There's no federal legal limit for chromium-6 specifically (only total chromium), which is why EWG tracks it separately. All measurements are within federal legal limits. The EWG guidelines represent a more conservative, health-based standard.
How Hard Water Affects Your Home
At 180 PPM, untreated hard water has measurable effects on household costs and appliance life:
- Water heater inefficiency: Scale insulation forces the heater to work harder (DOE estimates up to 22% more energy for heavily scaled units)
- Soap and detergent: Hard water reduces lathering, requiring significantly more product
- Appliance replacement: Water heaters, dishwashers, and washing machines fail 2-4 years earlier due to scale buildup
- Plumbing maintenance: Scale buildup in pipes reduces flow and requires more frequent service
Note: Impact varies by household size, water usage, and local energy costs. A home water test provides the most accurate assessment for your specific situation.
| Contaminant | Detected | Health Guideline | Legal Limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardness (as CaCO₃) | 180 PPM | < 60 PPM | No federal limit | ⚠ Hard |
| Total Dissolved Solids | 300 PPM | < 300 PPM | 500 PPM | ✓ OK |
| PFAS (total) | 0 ppt | — | No total limit | ✓ ND |
| ↳ PFOA | 0 ppt | 0 ppt | 4 ppt (2024) | ✓ OK |
| ↳ PFOS | 0 ppt | 0 ppt | 4 ppt (2024) | ✓ OK |
| Lead | 1 ppb | 0 ppb (no safe level) | 15 ppb (10 ppb in 2027) | ✓ Low |
| Chlorine / Chloramine | 1.2 mg/L | Taste threshold ~1.0 | 4.0 mg/L | ✓ Normal |
| Nitrate | 0.562 mg/L | 5 mg/L | 10 mg/L | ✓ OK |
Recommendations for Collierville Homes
Our Top Picks for Collierville (180 PPM)
Hard water at 180 PPM causes scale buildup, increased energy use, and premature appliance failure. A softener protects your plumbing and appliances.
Quick Fix for Chlorine: Shower Filter
At 1.2 mg/L chlorine, many Collierville residents notice dry skin, brittle hair, and that "pool smell" in the shower. A shower filter installs in 5 minutes, no tools needed.
How to Test Your Water in Collierville
With 180 PPM hardness, a quick test strip confirms whether your specific tap matches Collierville's average before you invest in a softener. Hardness can vary within the same system.
Free option: Request Town of Collierville Water's annual Consumer Confidence Report for official city-level data.
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About Collierville's Water Supply
Water Utility: Town of Collierville Water
Water Source: Memphis Sand Aquifer (Groundwater)
Population Served: 51,972
Hardness: 180 PPM (10.5 grains per gallon)
Collierville draws its drinking water from groundwater sources — Memphis Sand Aquifer. Groundwater typically requires less treatment than surface water because the earth acts as a natural filter. The tradeoff: dissolved minerals from underground rock formations, which is why hardness is elevated here. Calcium and magnesium dissolve into the water as it moves through limestone and dolomite. The system serves 52,000 residents.
Water quality can vary by neighborhood and season. For your exact numbers, request Town of Collierville Water's Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) or test your own tap.
ZIP Codes Covered by This Report
This water quality data applies to all areas served by Town of Collierville Water in Collierville, TN, including ZIP codes:
38010, 38017, 38027, 38028, 38036, 38039, 38042, 38045, 38046, 38048, 38049, 38057, 38060, 38066, 38067, 38068, 38076, 38603, 38634, 38635, 38642, 38647, 38649, 38661, 38674, 38679, 38683
If your ZIP code is listed above, this report covers your water supply. Water quality may vary slightly by neighborhood.
Water Softener Sizing for Collierville
At 180 PPM (10.5 GPG), here is how to size a softener for your Collierville home. Multiply hardness in GPG (10.5) by daily water usage (roughly 50 gallons per person). A family of four uses about 200 gallons/day: 10.5 GPG × 200 gal = 2100 grains/day. Over a 7-day regeneration cycle, that is 14,700 grains - a 32,000-grain softener is the right fit for most Collierville households.
Compare Collierville to Other Tennessee Cities
Frequently Asked Questions About Collierville Water
Is Collierville tap water safe to drink?
Where does Collierville's water come from?
Do I need a water softener in Collierville?
Does Collierville water damage tankless water heaters?
How much does hard water cost a Collierville household per year?
What is the hardness of Collierville water in grains per gallon?
What size water softener do I need for Collierville?
Salt-based softener or salt-free conditioner for Collierville?
Data sources: Lead and copper data from EPA Safe Drinking Water Act LCR reporting. Contaminant data from utility-reported testing results. PFAS data from EPA UCMR5 (2023–2025). Hardness from USGS and municipal reports. Data reflects system-level testing results and may not match your specific tap due to neighborhood plumbing, season, or recent utility changes. For your utility's latest results, request their Consumer Confidence Report (CCR). Our methodology. Last updated: 2026-02-24.
What Collierville Homeowners Actually Buy
Common purchases for homes with 180 PPM water.
Affiliate disclosure: we may earn a commission. Selection based on Collierville's water data.