Autotrol Perchlorate Filter

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Sample Size and Well Representation in Shelby County Perchlorate Data

The perchlorate figures for Memphis, Shelby County, come from the MEMPHIS LIGHT, GAS, & WATER public water system record. This system serves 659,500 people via 255,620 connections using groundwater sources. The EPA’s Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR1) included 20 samples taken between July and December 2002. None of these samples detected perchlorate above the 4.0 micrograms per liter reporting level. While these results indicate perchlorate presence is below detection in routine monitoring, they represent an aggregation across many wells and connections rather than your individual home’s water quality.

Plumbing Material and Age: Distinct from Source Water

Household plumbing components and their age can influence certain water characteristics independently of the water supplied by the system. These plumbing factors do not affect perchlorate levels because perchlorate is not affected by corrosion or pipe leaching. Therefore, any perchlorate present would originate from the groundwater source rather than your home’s internal plumbing. However, plumbing issues could cause other water quality symptoms that should not be conflated with perchlorate concerns.

Interpreting Median and Range: A Worked Example for Homeowners

The government record for perchlorate in Memphis’s public water system shows no detections above 4.0 µg/L out of 20 samples. This means the median and range for perchlorate concentration fall below detectable levels in this monitored period. For a homeowner, this implies that perchlorate was not measurable in the system’s groundwater supply during this sampling timeframe. It does not guarantee your well or connection is free of perchlorate, as local variations can occur and are only revealed by specific testing of your water.

Household Symptoms That Do and Do Not Indicate Perchlorate Issues

Perchlorate in water is not associated with taste, odor, or color changes. If your water exhibits staining, odor, or metallic taste, these are not signs of perchlorate presence but likely relate to other water quality factors or plumbing conditions. Because perchlorate is colorless and tasteless, its presence or absence cannot be diagnosed by sensory inspection. The failed equipment you previously used may have targeted perchlorate, but resolving the issue thoroughly requires testing your current water supply to confirm perchlorate levels and applying a documented treatment if needed.

Influence of Sampling Depth, Well Depth, and Source Type on Expectation

The Memphis water system uses groundwater sources that vary in depth and location, influencing contaminant profiles including perchlorate. Deeper wells may have different exposure to perchlorate sources compared to shallower ones, and this variability affects what the EPA’s system-wide data capture. Your household’s water sample depth and source may differ from those in the government record, so testing your specific water source is necessary to determine your perchlorate situation accurately.

Summary of Data Scope and Next Steps

The EPA’s public water system record for MEMPHIS LIGHT, GAS, & WATER provides perchlorate monitoring data based on 20 samples over a five-month period sampled from groundwater sources serving a large population across Shelby County. These data confirm no perchlorate was detected above the federal reporting limit during that time but do not replace individual water testing. After failure of existing perchlorate treatment equipment, a laboratory test for your home’s water is essential to verify perchlorate presence and concentration. If perchlorate is confirmed at concerning levels for your household’s needs, the Autotrol Perchlorate Filter ships ready to configure and is designed to effectively reduce perchlorate in residential water supplies.

Where this information comes from

Source: EPA SDWIS public water system record. Sampled 2002-12-18. These figures describe the public water system's record, not the plumbing inside any individual building.

On record: EPA UCMR1 monitoring (2001-2005) for MEMPHIS LIGHT, GAS, & WATER (TN0000450), TN: 20 results across 1 listed contaminants, 0 detections above the reporting level; nothing detected above the method reporting level