Autotrol Microplastics Filter

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Are microplastics a concern in your Knoxville home's water? Currently, no federal or local government testing data exists specifically measuring microplastics in the Knoxville Utilities Board (KUB) water system that serves Knox County residents. This means the presence or concentration of microplastics in your own water supply remains unknown without direct testing of your household water.

Which fixtures, appliances, or processes are affected first and why

Microplastics, when present, can accumulate in devices that filter or use water intensively, such as coffee makers, reverse osmosis systems, or humidifiers. Particles may cause clogging or reduced performance over time. Faucets and showerheads may also show buildup, affecting flow and cleanliness. Understanding where microplastics might concentrate helps prioritize testing and treatment efforts.

How public-system records differ from private-well testing in what they establish

The publicly available EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) record for Knoxville Utilities Board details general water quality indicators and compliance status for the municipality's system, but it does not include microplastics data. This kind of record reflects water quality at the source and distribution system level, not individual home plumbing. Private well owners typically test their water directly for specific contaminants, including microplastics if desired, providing precise information for their location.

Why aesthetic secondary standards differ from health-based limits, applied to this constituent

Microplastics are not regulated under federal health-based drinking water standards. While some substances have limits designed to prevent taste, odor, or staining issues, those are aesthetic secondary standards and do not apply to microplastics as a regulated constituent. The absence of specific federal microplastics rules means aesthetic concerns are primarily related to visible particles or effects on plumbing rather than established health thresholds.

A worked example: reading the record's median and range as a homeowner would

The KUB system serves over 254,000 people with surface water as the source. Its EPA record shows zero health-based violations, indicating compliance with federal drinking water standards for regulated substances. However, no monitoring or data exists for microplastics in this record. Therefore, Knoxville residents should recognize that municipal water complies with health standards but that microplastics presence depends on factors outside the recorded data and requires specific testing to determine.

What distinguishes this problem from the two problems most often confused with it

Microplastics differ from sediment or chlorine-related issues often noticed in residential water. Sediment particles are typically larger, visible, and may cause cloudiness or deposits. Chlorine is a disinfectant affecting taste and odor but is separate chemically from plastics. Unlike these, microplastics are microscopic plastic particles potentially present but not commonly measured, requiring specialized filtration technology to reduce.

For Knoxville households concerned about microplastics, the Autotrol Microplastics Filter is a solution designed to reduce microscopic plastic particles from your water supply. After assessing your household’s daily water demand, this system ships ready to configure for residential use and helps address microplastics concerns independently of municipal testing data.

Where this information comes from

Source: EPA SDWIS public water system record. Sampled 2025-12-31. These figures describe the public water system's record, not the plumbing inside any individual building.

On record: EPA SDWIS record for KNOXVILLE UTILITIES BOARD - KUB (TN0000366), surface water supply, serving 254671 people: 0 health-based violations of 2 total; lead 90th percentile 0.0006 mg/L