Johnson City, Tennessee Water Outage Today
Live Johnson City water outage reports, Johnson City Water & Sewer Services’s emergency line and the system’s federal record.
Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
No water outage reports in Johnson City, Tennessee in the last 24 hours
The most recent water outage report from Johnson City came in 4 days ago. Over the past 90 days, Johnson City residents filed 4 water outage reports here on 3 separate days; the busiest was September 25, with 2.
Who supplies water in Johnson City?
Drinking water in Johnson City, Tennessee is supplied by Johnson City Water & Sewer Services, which handles outages, main breaks and boil water notices for the city.
Public water systems in Tennessee are regulated by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC).
To report no water or a main break, call Johnson City Water & Sewer Services at 423-461-1643.
Who runs the water in Johnson City: system profile
Johnson City Water Dept is the water system EPA lists for Johnson City, serving about 105,057 people. Customers know it as Johnson City Water & Sewer Services; the name on your bill is the one to call.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Water system in EPA records | Johnson City Water Dept (TN0000331) |
| Run by | Local government |
| People served | 105,057 through 46,281 service connections |
| Source of the water | Surface water (rivers, lakes or reservoirs) |
| Active facilities listed by EPA | 1 surface intake, 4 treatment points, 17 storage tanks and reservoirs |
| State regulator | Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) |
| Health-based violations since 2015 | 0 |
| Highest lead result (90th percentile) | 1.4 ppb, action level 15 ppb |
Source: EPA SDWIS (Safe Drinking Water Information System).
What feeds the taps in Johnson City
Johnson City drinks surface water. Johnson City Water Dept draws it from the Watauga River and treats it before it goes into the distribution system. Treatment points named in EPA's facility list include Watauga River Plant and Unicoi Springs Plant. After treatment the water is held in 17 storage tanks and reservoirs, which is the buffer that keeps taps running for a few hours after a pump or main fails.
The outage angle. Because the water is drawn from open surface sources, it has to be filtered and disinfected continuously. A plant problem therefore hits everyone at once, unlike a main break, which only dries up the blocks on either side of the damaged pipe.
Why the water goes out in Johnson City
Water outages are local, so the likely cause depends on weather, pipe age and the grid. For Johnson City, these stand out.
- Freezing weather. Johnson City sees about 81 days a year with a low at or below 32°F, and 15 days at or below 20°F. The coldest morning in the 2015 through 2025 record came on February 20, 2015. The longest stretch with highs that never rose above freezing ran 7 days, ending January 6, 2018. Frost pushes into shallow service lines first. Mains follow when the ground heaves and thaws, which is why break counts climb a day or two after the temperature swings.
- Flooding and heavy rain. NOAA logged 22 flood, flash flood and heavy rain reports in Washington County from 2015 through 2026, and 5 days a year bring an inch of rain or more. Floodwater can undercut pipe crossings, swamp pump stations and overload treatment plants, and a notice to boil water often follows when it enters the system.
- Damage from other crews. Water mains share the ground with gas, power and telecom lines, and a strike by any contractor can dry up a block in seconds.
- Planned shutoffs and a problem at one address. Valve replacements and new connections are announced ahead, often with door hangers. If neighbors have water, check your own shutoff valve, meter and pressure regulator before calling.
Johnson City weather and water-main stress, 2015–2025
Main break season in Johnson City runs from late fall into early spring, with the coldest stretch around December through February.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Days a year at or below 32°F | 81 |
| Days a year at or below 20°F | 14.8 |
| Days a year with a high at or below 32°F | 6.2 |
| Days a year at or above 95°F | 1.4 |
| Days a year at or above 100°F | 0 |
| Days a year with an inch of rain or more | 4.8 |
| Average annual precipitation | 47.1 in |
| Wettest year | 2020 (59.2 in) |
| Driest year | 2016 (37.5 in) |
| Coldest day in the record | February 20, 2015 |
| Hottest day in the record | July 24, 2016 |
Source: NASA POWER daily reanalysis (MERRA-2) for the city center, 2015–2025.
Freezing days peak in January, averaging 23.2 a year. Source: NASA POWER reanalysis, 2015–2025.
The wettest year was 2020 with 59.2 inches; the driest was 2016 with 37.5. Source: NASA POWER reanalysis, 2015–2025.
These counts come from a gridded reanalysis, which smooths out single-day extremes and can differ by a few degrees from an airport thermometer. Use them to compare seasons and years, not as official station records.
Is Johnson City water safe? Boil notices and EPA record
EPA lists no health-based violations for Johnson City Water Dept since 2015. It also lists 5 monitoring or reporting entries that are about paperwork rather than water quality, such as a missed sample or a late report.
Most recent entries, all monitoring or reporting:
- February 2023: A public notice and annual reports violation
- April 2021: A missed or late monitoring or reporting requirement (chemical and radiological contaminants)
| Type of violation | Health-based | Monitoring and other |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical and radiological contaminants | 0 | 4 |
| Public notice and annual reports | 0 | 1 |
Source: EPA SDWIS.
Monitoring and other Health-based
Violations are counted by the year the compliance period began. Source: EPA SDWIS.
A boil water notice in Johnson City is a separate thing from a violation. Johnson City Water & Sewer Services issues one when pressure falls low enough for contamination to enter the pipes, after a main break is repaired, or when a routine test comes back positive. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) oversees the process, and the notice stays until clean samples come back, usually a day or two after pressure returns.
What the lead tests and housing age say about Johnson City
The most recent 90th-percentile lead result filed for Johnson City Water Dept is 1.3 ppb (2025). The federal action level is 15 ppb, so that result is far from the limit.
Highest result on file: 1.4 ppb. Source: EPA SDWIS.
The age of the housing matters more than the utility's test average: 33.2% of occupied homes in Johnson City predate 1970 and 1986 was the year lead pipe and solder were banned. Flush the cold tap after an outage and ask Johnson City Water & Sewer Services whether your service line is on its lead inventory.
How long a water outage lasts in Johnson City
A crew that arrives at an ordinary main break in Johnson City usually needs 4 to 8 hours to isolate the pipe, dig, repair, flush and restore pressure. Large transmission mains, deep pipes and breaks under busy streets can take a day or more.
| Situation | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Planned shutoff | Time window posted ahead; water often returns early |
| Ordinary main break | Half a day once the crew has isolated the pipe |
| Large or deep main | A day or two, sometimes three |
| Low pressure after a pump or power failure | Until power returns and tanks recover, often within a day |
| Boil water notice after service returns | Until two clean rounds of samples, usually 1 to 2 days |
| Frozen service line or meter | Hours if you can thaw it, longer if the pipe has split |
Source: Utility practice, EPA and state boil water guidance.
Johnson City Water & Sewer Services will post an estimated restoration time for a break that affects many customers; ask for the repair crew's estimate when you call.
How much water to keep on hand in Johnson City
With about 2.4 people in the typical Johnson City home, FEMA's one-gallon-per-person-per-day rule means 7 gallons covers three days and 33 gallons covers two weeks.
- Do not forget the water heater: the tank holds roughly 30 to 50 gallons you can drink after it is switched off and allowed to cool.
- If a planned shutoff or storm is coming, fill the tub and some buckets for flushing toilets and washing; keep drinking water in clean sealed containers.
Johnson City versus neighboring water utilities
| City | System | People served | Source | Health violations since 2015 | Highest lead (ppb) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson City, TN | Johnson City Water Dept | 105,057 | Surface | 0 | 1.4 |
| Asheville, NC | City of Asheville | 157,431 | Surface | 2 | 0 |
| Knoxville, TN | Knoxville Utilities Board - KUB | 254,671 | Surface | 0 | 1.6 |
| Charlotte, NC | Charlotte Water | 1,163,701 | Surface | 0 | 0 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | City of Winston-Salem | 391,900 | Surface | 0 | 0 |
Source: EPA SDWIS.
Water outage pages for nearby cities
Asheville, NC · Knoxville, TN · Charlotte, NC · Winston-Salem, NC
Where to find official Johnson City water notices
Official word on main breaks, planned shutoffs and boil advisories comes from Johnson City Water & Sewer Services, not from this page. Our water outage guide explains what each kind of notice asks you to do.
Johnson City quick answers about water service
Who do I call about no water in Johnson City?
Johnson City Water & Sewer Services at 423-461-1643, day or night. Use 911 only if a main break is flooding property or roads.
Is Johnson City water from a river, lake or well?
Surface water supplies Johnson City, according to EPA records for Johnson City Water Dept. It draws from the Watauga River.
Is the water in Johnson City safe?
EPA lists no health-based violations for Johnson City Water Dept since 2015, and its latest 90th-percentile lead result is 1.3 ppb against the 15 ppb action level. Follow any boil water notice until the utility says it is over.
What time of year are Johnson City water main breaks most common?
Cold weather drives most breaks in Johnson City, which averages about 81 freezing days a year. Expect the most calls from December through February, especially a day or two after a hard freeze when the ground thaws.
Why is my water pressure low in Johnson City?
Check whether neighbors have the same problem. If they do, it is probably a main break, a pump problem or evening demand, and Johnson City Water & Sewer Services should hear about it. If not, the cause is likely inside your own plumbing.
When will a boil water notice be lifted in Johnson City?
Plan on one to two days after pressure is back. Johnson City Water & Sewer Services samples the water, waits for clean lab results and then lifts the notice, with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) overseeing the steps.
How much drinking water should I keep at home in Johnson City?
Plan on one gallon per person per day for at least three days. The average Johnson City household has about 2.4 people, which works out to roughly 7 gallons for three days and 33 for two weeks.
Are there lead service lines in Johnson City?
It depends on the age of your home. About 33.2% of occupied homes in Johnson City were built before 1970, and lead service lines remained legal until 1986. Contact Johnson City Water & Sewer Services about your address and flush the cold tap after any outage.
How do I check for water outages near me in Johnson City?
This page shows resident reports from Johnson City for the last 24 hours. For a street-by-street picture, use the alerts and outage page of Johnson City Water & Sewer Services; many utilities also text boil notices.
Recent water reports in Johnson City
- Water reports in Johnson City, last 24h
- 0
- Most recent water report here
- 4 days ago
- Water reports across Tennessee, last 24h
- 0
- City population
- 70,945
Other outage types in Johnson City
Water Service Outages in cities near Johnson City
- Asheville, NC 50 mi · City of Asheville Water Resources
- Knoxville, TN 91 mi · Knoxville Utilities Board (KUB)
- Charlotte, NC 113 mi · Charlotte Water
- Winston-Salem, NC 119 mi · City of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utilities
- Rock Hill, SC 122 mi · City of Rock Hill Utilities
- High Point, NC 133 mi · City of High Point Public Services
Report counts are user-submitted; other figures name their official source. How our data works
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