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Community Water System · PWS AR0000438

Mena Water Department

Mena, Arkansas 71963 - drinking water served from surface water sources to 5,604 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.

5,604
People served
68
EPA violations
54
Health-based
No PFAS
UCMR5 result

The verdict

EPA records 68 drinking-water violations at Mena Water Department, 79% of them health-based - above the Arkansas per-system average.

68
Total EPA violations on record
79%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
5,604
People served by this system
0
PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)

Water Quality Snapshot: Mena Water Department

Mena Water Department is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 5,604 residents in Mena, Arkansas (Polk County) through 3,802 service connections. Its water is drawn from surface water sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 68 total violations for this system , of which 54 (79%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 6 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2020.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), recorded in 20 violations (MCL, health-based). This system was sampled under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program and no PFAS compounds were detected above the minimum reporting level.

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%).

Mena Water Department's 68 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.

Population Served
5,604
Total Violations
68
Health-Based Violations
54
Water Source
Surface Water

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
3,802
County
Polk
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
45
Monitoring Violations
6
Treatment Tech Violations
9

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MCL 20 2014
TTHM MCL 14 2014
Coliform (TCR) MCL 6 2015
Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule TT 6 2013
Coliform (TCR) MR 6 2013
Chlorite MCL 5 2020
Surface Water Treatment Rule TT 3 1997
Consumer Confidence Rule Other 1 2018

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 0 of 116 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
PFOS 9/13/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 9/13/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 9/13/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 9/13/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 9/13/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 9/13/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 9/13/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 9/13/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 9/13/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 9/13/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 9/13/2023 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 9/13/2023 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 9/13/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 9/13/2023 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 9/13/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 9/13/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 9/13/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 9/13/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 9/13/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 9/13/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 9/13/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 9/13/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 9/13/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 9/13/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 9/13/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 9/13/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 9/13/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 9/13/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 9/13/2023 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 6/7/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 6/7/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 6/7/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 6/7/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 6/7/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 6/7/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 6/7/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 6/7/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 6/7/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 6/7/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 6/7/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 6/7/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 6/7/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 6/7/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 6/7/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 6/7/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 6/7/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 6/7/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 6/7/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 6/7/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 6/7/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected

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 Mena Water Department.

Federal Source of Truth

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 AR0000438 on SDWIS

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search

State Regulator

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 SDWIS

Violation 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
2020 Chlorite MCL 5 SDWIS / AR0000438 / 1009
2018 Consumer Confidence Rule Other 1 SDWIS / AR0000438 / 7000
2015 Coliform (TCR) MCL 6 SDWIS / AR0000438 / 3100
2014 Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MCL 20 SDWIS / AR0000438 / 2456
2014 TTHM MCL 14 SDWIS / AR0000438 / 2950
2013 Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule TT 6 SDWIS / AR0000438 / 0300
2013 Coliform (TCR) MR 6 SDWIS / AR0000438 / 3100
1997 Surface Water Treatment Rule TT 3 SDWIS / AR0000438 / 0200

How Mena Water Department Compares

Cross-reference this system's record against state averages and the federal MCL framework for context.

Metric Mena Water Department Arkansas avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 68 52.6 SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 54 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 5,604 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 Mena Water Department water safe to drink? ▼
Mena Water Department (PWS ID: AR0000438) has 68 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. No PFAS contamination was detected in UCMR5 testing. This system serves 5,604 people using Surface Water sources.
How many people does Mena Water Department serve? ▼
Mena Water Department serves 5,604 people in Mena, Arkansas. It is a Local-owned system using Surface Water water sources with 3,802 service connections.
What type of violations does Mena Water Department have? ▼
Mena Water Department has 68 total violations: 54 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 6 monitoring/reporting violations, and 9 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in Mena Water Department water? ▼
No. Mena Water Department was tested for PFAS under the EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program and no PFAS contamination was detected.
What water source does Mena Water Department use? ▼
Mena Water Department uses Surface Water as its primary water source. It is classified as a Community Water System (CWS), serving residential populations year-round.
Where does this data come from? ▼
All data comes from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and the UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program. SDWIS tracks compliance for all public water systems regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Data Sources: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), Q4 2025. PFAS data from EPA UCMR5 monitoring program (2023-2025). This data is provided for informational purposes only.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Data sourced from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 PFAS monitoring data. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainWater Editorial

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.