Community Water System · PWS AR0000172
Pickens Waterworks
Pickens, Arkansas 71662 - drinking water served from groundwater sources to 49 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.
- 49
- People served
- 543
- EPA violations
- 174
- Health-based
- Untested
- UCMR5 result
The verdict
EPA records 543 drinking-water violations at Pickens Waterworks, 32% of them health-based - above the Arkansas per-system average.
- 543
- Total EPA violations on record
- 32%
- Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
- 49
- People served by this system
- N/A
- PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)
Water Quality Snapshot: Pickens Waterworks
Pickens Waterworks is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 49 residents in Pickens, Arkansas (Desha County) through 30 service connections. Its water is drawn from groundwater sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 543 total violations for this system , of which 174 (32%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 162 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2025.
The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule, recorded in 162 violations (TT, health-based). This system has not yet been sampled under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program, so no PFAS detection data is available here.
Across Arkansas, EPA tracks 1,016 public water systems serving 3,049,400 people, with 53,437 cumulative violations and 21,598 health-based violations on record. About 94% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 52.6 violations. Statewide, 57 of 172 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (33.1%).
Pickens Waterworks's 543 violations sit above the Arkansas average.
All figures above are sourced directly from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 public data releases and are updated as EPA publishes new reporting cycles.
System Details
- System Type
- Community
- Owner Type
- Local
- Connections
- 30
- County
- Desha
- School/Daycare
- No
- MCL Violations
- 9
- Monitoring Violations
- 162
- Treatment Tech Violations
- 165
Violation History
Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.
| Contaminant | Category | Count | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule | TT | 162 | 2025 |
| Public Notice | Other | 114 | 2025 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | MON | 89 | 2025 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | RPT | 52 | 2025 |
| Coliform (TCR) | MR | 25 | 2016 |
| Chlorine | MR | 21 | 2025 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | MR | 15 | 2025 |
| E. COLI | MR | 12 | 2020 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | Other | 9 | 2016 |
| Consumer Confidence Rule | Other | 5 | 2019 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | MCL | 5 | 2023 |
| Coliform (TCR) | MCL | 4 | 2007 |
| Coliform (TCR) | Other | 3 | 1993 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | TT | 3 | 2023 |
| Coliform (Pre-TCR) | Other | 1 | 1990 |
Verify This Water System
The figures above are aggregated from EPA's public databases. To verify the underlying records, or to file a complaint, request a Consumer Confidence Report, or check current monitoring status, go directly to the federal and state regulators that enforce the Safe Drinking Water Act for Pickens Waterworks.
EPA SDWIS, Federal Reports
EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) holds the federal compliance record for every regulated public water system. Open the system-level report by PWS ID:
View PWS ID AR0000172 on SDWISSource: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search
Arkansas Drinking Water Authority
Arkansas's primacy agency administers the Safe Drinking Water Act locally. Search EPA SDWIS for the current state contact, or use the state's public health or environment department portal.
Find AR regulator via EPA SDWISViolation Timeline
Each row links to the EPA SDWIS public record for verification. Cross-reference the contaminant code on EPA's federal report to see violation dates, return-to-compliance status, and enforcement actions.
| Year (latest) | Contaminant | Category | Count | EPA Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule | TT | 162 | SDWIS / AR0000172 / 0400 |
| 2025 | Public Notice | Other | 114 | SDWIS / AR0000172 / 7500 |
| 2025 | Revised Total Coliform Rule | MON | 89 | SDWIS / AR0000172 / 8000 |
| 2025 | Revised Total Coliform Rule | RPT | 52 | SDWIS / AR0000172 / 8000 |
| 2025 | Chlorine | MR | 21 | SDWIS / AR0000172 / 0999 |
| 2025 | Lead and Copper Rule | MR | 15 | SDWIS / AR0000172 / 5000 |
| 2023 | Revised Total Coliform Rule | MCL | 5 | SDWIS / AR0000172 / 8000 |
| 2023 | Lead and Copper Rule | TT | 3 | SDWIS / AR0000172 / 5000 |
| 2020 | E. COLI | MR | 12 | SDWIS / AR0000172 / 3014 |
| 2019 | Consumer Confidence Rule | Other | 5 | SDWIS / AR0000172 / 7000 |
| 2016 | Coliform (TCR) | MR | 25 | SDWIS / AR0000172 / 3100 |
| 2016 | Revised Total Coliform Rule | Other | 9 | SDWIS / AR0000172 / 8000 |
| 2007 | Coliform (TCR) | MCL | 4 | SDWIS / AR0000172 / 3100 |
| 1993 | Coliform (TCR) | Other | 3 | SDWIS / AR0000172 / 3100 |
| 1990 | Coliform (Pre-TCR) | Other | 1 | SDWIS / AR0000172 / 3000 |
How Pickens Waterworks Compares
Cross-reference this system's record against state averages and the federal MCL framework for context.
| Metric | Pickens Waterworks | Arkansas avg | Federal benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total violations | 543 | 52.6 | SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach |
| Health-based violations | 174 | 21.3 | Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL |
| PFAS detection | None | 33.1% | EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt |
| Population served | 49 | 3,001 | Sizing context for compliance burden |
Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 1,016 regulated public water systems in Arkansas.
Federal MCL reference, Safe Drinking Water Act thresholds ▼
| Contaminant | Federal MCL / Action Level | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Lead | 0 mg/L (Action Level: 0.015 mg/L) | Lead and Copper Rule treatment technique |
| Arsenic | 0.010 mg/L (10 ppb) | Health-based MCL since 2006 |
| Total Coliform | Treatment technique (RTCR) | Indicator organism, monitoring trigger |
| PFOA / PFOS (PFAS) | 4.0 ppt each (final 2024 rule) | Compliance deadline 2029 (EPA proposed extending to 2031, not yet final as of May 2026) |
| Nitrate (as N) | 10 mg/L | Acute health risk for infants |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pickens Waterworks water safe to drink? ▼
How many people does Pickens Waterworks serve? ▼
What type of violations does Pickens Waterworks have? ▼
Has PFAS been detected in Pickens Waterworks water? ▼
What water source does Pickens Waterworks use? ▼
Where does this data come from? ▼
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Every figure on PlainWater is rendered directly from EPA SDWIS drinking-water data, no number is typed in by an editor. This system's figures are rendered directly from EPA SDWIS data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.