Ground-water use by public-supply systems in Tennessee, 1990

Ground-water use by public water-supply systems during 1990 was inventoried in Tennessee. Ground- water withdrawals were estimated to average 269 million gallons per day (Mgal/d), or 38 percent of the total public-supply water use. This volume represents an increase of 34 percent in the use of ground water for public supply since 1980 when public-supply withdrawals were 200 Mgal/d. About 212 Mgal/d (79 percent) were withdrawn from the Tertiary sand and Cretaceous sand aquifers in western Tennessee. The largest ground-water with- drawals for public-supply occurred in Shelby County (154 Mgal/d or 57 percent of the total withdrawals for public supply). Thirty-four of the 267 principal public water-supply systems withdrew 1 Mgal/d or more and accounted for 83 percent of ground water withdrawn for public supply.