Johnson City Area Well Water Facts: Washington & Carter County, TN
About 26% of Carter County residents and about 7% of Washington County residents supplied their own household water, mostly from private wells, in the USGS’s 2015 county estimates, the most recent county-level figures (USGS). This page collects those numbers for the counties around Johnson City, what USGS studies found about local wells, and Tennessee’s rules for well work, each linked to its source.
Compiled September 29, 2026 from the sources linked on each row.
How many people around Johnson City rely on a private well?
| County | Total population | Self-supplied population | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson County, TN | 17,830 | 7,160 | 40.2% |
| Hawkins County, TN | 56,471 | 21,089 | 37.3% |
| Carter County, TN | 56,486 | 14,573 | 25.8% |
| Unicoi County, TN | 17,860 | 1,786 | 10.0% |
| Washington County, TN | 126,302 | 8,309 | 6.6% |
| Greene County, TN | 68,580 | 1,709 | 2.5% |
| Sullivan County, TN | 156,791 | 1,117 | 0.7% |
| Tennessee (statewide) | USGS state total | 9.0% | |
Source: Dieter, C.A., et al., 2018, Estimated use of water in the United States county-level data for 2015, U.S. Geological Survey data release (USGS ScienceBase). Shares are calculated from the USGS total-population and self-supplied domestic population columns. “Self-supplied” means the household supplies its own water, usually from a private well.
What USGS studies found about wells around Johnson City
- The Elizabethton–Johnson City area is split between the Valley and Ridge (the western two-thirds) and the Blue Ridge (USGS WSP 1460-J, 1962).
- The Shady, Honaker and Knox formations are the principal aquifers; wells in them averaged about 10 gallons per minute (USGS WSP 1460-J).
- Wells tapping perched water generally yield less than 2 gpm, and many go dry in late summer or early fall (USGS WSP 1460-J).
- In Knox Group areas with many sinkholes, the chance of getting a productive well is lower (USGS WSP 1460-J).
- Most groundwater in the area had a hardness above 100 ppm (USGS WSP 1460-J).
- Across East Tennessee’s Valley and Ridge, carbonate aquifers yield from 1 to 2,500 gpm; the water is generally hard calcium-magnesium bicarbonate water; and where the soil over the rock is thin, the aquifers are susceptible to contamination from septic systems, storage tanks and landfills (USGS HA 730-K).
WSP 1460-J was published in 1962. Its geology still applies, but its well counts and yields reflect wells inventoried at the time.
Tennessee rules for private wells and well pumps
| Topic | What TDEC says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Who may install or repair a well pump | Only a person licensed by TDEC’s Division of Water Resources. Plumbers, electricians and general contractors also need the TDEC license. | TDEC |
| License terms | Issued to individuals, not transferable, expire July 31 each year; governed by TDEC Rule 0400-45-9 and TCA 69-10. | TDEC |
| Checking a license | TDEC’s list of licensed drillers and installers is updated daily. | TDEC list |
| Typical casing | Most Middle and East Tennessee domestic wells use 6 5/8-inch outside-diameter casing; steel casing is required in bedrock. | TDEC |
| Well report | The driller must send TDEC a Water Well Drillers Report (CN-0825) describing the well’s location and construction. | TDEC |
| Household supply | A well yielding 3–5 gallons per minute or more generally serves a household of four to six people. | TDEC |
| Disinfection | Both the driller and the pump installer must disinfect the well; repeat each time the well, pump or pipes are serviced. | TDEC |
| Testing | No state requirement for private wells; TDEC strongly recommends a bacteria test every year. | TDEC |
| Well records | Private well information is public record, with a TDEC web map. | TDEC |
| Local state office | Johnson City Environmental Field Office, 2305 Silverdale Drive, Johnson City, TN 37601, (423) 854-5400. | TDEC |
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Questions about these numbers
What share of Carter County residents use a private well?
About 26%. The USGS estimated 14,573 of Carter County’s 56,486 residents supplied their own household water in 2015 (USGS).
Are well records public in Tennessee?
Yes. TDEC says information about private water wells is public record and offers a web-mapping application of well data (TDEC).
Sources
- USGS: Estimated Use of Water in the United States, County-Level Data for 2015 (Dieter and others, 2018)
- USGS Water-Supply Paper 1460-J: Geology and Ground-Water Resources of the Elizabethton-Johnson City Area, Tennessee (MacLay, 1962)
- USGS Ground Water Atlas of the U.S., HA 730-K: Valley and Ridge aquifers (Tennessee)
- TDEC: Well Driller or Installer License
- TDEC: Licensed Tennessee Well Drillers and Installers (updated daily)
- TDEC Division of Water Resources: Well Water
- TDEC: Johnson City Environmental Field Office
You are welcome to cite or link to this page. Please link to the original sources for the underlying figures.
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