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Not health advice. Contact your local water utility for concerns.
Data from EPA Water Quality Reports. For official information, contact your water utility or health department.
EPA records for HOT SPRINGS UTILITIES • Updated September 2026
Grade A — based on EPA compliance records, lead testing and PFAS monitoring
HOT SPRINGS UTILITIES has a clean recent record: no health-based violations in the last five years and no lead, PFAS or historical monitoring result that costs it more than a few points.
Yes — by EPA's records, Hot Springs's tap water earns a A: no health-based violations in five years, lead at 1 ppb (90th percentile) and no PFAS detected. Lead from home plumbing is the main remaining risk.
By EPA's records, yes. HOT SPRINGS UTILITIES earns a A: no health-based violations in the last five years, a lead 90th-percentile result of 1 ppb, and no PFAS detected in UCMR5 sampling. Lead from your own plumbing is the main risk city data cannot see.
HOT SPRINGS UTILITIES's most recent Lead and Copper Rule result (2023-01-01 to 2025-12-31) was 1 ppb at the 90th percentile, below EPA's 15 ppb action level. Because lead usually comes from service lines and household plumbing, homes built before 1986 should still test at the tap.
No. None of the 232 UCMR5 PFAS results for HOT SPRINGS UTILITIES (2023-02-08 to 2023-11-15) were at or above the reporting limit of roughly 3–5 ppt.
HOT SPRINGS UTILITIES has 2 violations on file since 2016: 0 health-based in the last five years and 1 monitoring or reporting violation in that window. Monitoring violations are paperwork lapses, not measured contamination.
HOT SPRINGS UTILITIES reports surface water as its primary source and serves about 75,343 people (EPA PWSID AR0000209).
Not on the strength of EPA's data for HOT SPRINGS UTILITIES. A filter still helps with taste and with lead from your own plumbing, which no city-level test can measure.
Want to know what's really in your Hot Springs tap water?
EPA data describes water leaving the plant — a certified mail-in lab test shows what reaches your own faucet, including lead from household plumbing.
Tap Score certified lab · Amazon. We may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
HOT SPRINGS UTILITIES · SDWIS records since 2016 · 5-year window starts 2021-09-07
EPA records no health-based violations for this system in the last five years. The 1 violation on file in that window is monitoring or reporting paperwork issues, not measured contaminant exceedances. Older health-based violations (since 2016) are listed below for context.
| Violation | Category | Compliance period | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, AverageTTHM | MCL exceeded | 2019-01-01 → 2019-03-31 | Resolvedreturned 2019-03-31 |
| Monitoring, Routine (RTCR)Revised Total Coliform Rule | Monitoring | 2023-03-01 → 2023-03-31 | Resolvedreturned 2023-03-31 |
Source: ECHO SDWA bulk download (SDWA_VIOLATIONS_ENFORCEMENT.csv, SDWIS 2026Q2, file dated 2026-07-09, fetched 2026-09-06)
EPA Lead and Copper Rule 90th-percentile results reported by HOT SPRINGS UTILITIES
Well below the 15 ppb action level. In the most recent monitoring period on file (2023-01-01 to 2025-12-31), 90% of the homes HOT SPRINGS UTILITIES sampled had lead at or below 1 ppb.
EPA's action level is 15 ppb (dropping to 10 ppb under the 2024 Lead and Copper Rule Improvements). There is no safe level of lead; the 90th-percentile figure describes the system, not your tap — homes with lead service lines or pre-1986 plumbing can be higher.
| Monitoring period | Lead 90th percentile | vs 15 ppb action level |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-01-01 → 2025-12-31 | 1 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2020-01-01 → 2022-12-31 | 1 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2017-01-01 → 2019-12-31 | 1 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2014-01-01 → 2016-12-31 | 1 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2011-01-01 → 2013-12-31 | 3 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2008-01-01 → 2010-12-31 | 3 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2005-01-01 → 2007-12-31 | 3 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2002-01-01 → 2004-12-31 | 2 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2001-01-01 → 2001-12-31 | 1 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 1998-01-01 → 1998-12-31 | 2 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 1995-01-01 → 1995-12-31 | 2 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 1994-01-01 → 1994-12-31 | 1 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
Source: ECHO SDWA bulk download (SDWA_LCR_SAMPLES.csv, SDWIS 2026Q2, file dated 2026-07-09, fetched 2026-09-06)
EPA UCMR5 monitoring, 2023-02-08 to 2023-11-15 · 232 PFAS results at entry points to the distribution system
No PFAS detected. None of the 232 UCMR5 PFAS results for HOT SPRINGS UTILITIES were at or above the method reporting limit. Reporting limits are about 3–5 ppt, so “not detected” means below that threshold — not proven zero.
| Compound | Detects / samples | Max (ppt) | Reporting limit | EPA MCL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PFOA | 0 / 8 | < 4 | 4 ppt | 4 ppt |
| PFOS | 0 / 8 | < 4 | 4 ppt | 4 ppt |
| PFHxS | 0 / 8 | < 3 | 3 ppt | 10 ppt |
| PFNA | 0 / 8 | < 4 | 4 ppt | 10 ppt |
| HFPO-DA | 0 / 8 | < 5 | 5 ppt | 10 ppt |
| PFBS | 0 / 8 | < 3 | 3 ppt | hazard index only |
“< 4 ppt” means below the laboratory reporting limit, not zero. ppt = parts per trillion (ng/L). Results are for finished water leaving the treatment plant.
What PFAS are and how to remove them →
Source: UCMR5 occurrence data, EPA Data Summary July 2026 (UCMR5_All.txt)
EPA Six-Year Review 4 compliance samples for HOT SPRINGS UTILITIES · finished water only · dated data, released 2024
These are the regulated-contaminant samples HOT SPRINGS UTILITIES reported to its state between 2012 and 2019 — the most recent nationwide sample-level dataset EPA has published. Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) is flagged below; the status column explains why. Treat this as history, not today's tap water.
| Contaminant | Samples | Average | Max | EPA limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenic | 220 detects | 0 µg/L | ND | 10 µg/LMCL | Not detected |
| Fluoride | 6451 detects | 0.52 mg/L | 0.89 mg/L | 4 mg/LMCL | Within MCL |
| Chromium (total) | 385 detects | 0.216 µg/L | 4.9 µg/L | 100 µg/LMCL | Within MCL |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) | 257 | 53.533 µg/L | 139 µg/L | 80 µg/LMCL (LRAA) | 13 single samples over MCL; average within limit |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) | 257 | 28.267 µg/L | 56.6 µg/L | 60 µg/LMCL (LRAA) | Within MCL |
| Lead (tap samples) | 1148 detects | 0.123 µg/L | 5.1 µg/L | 15 µg/Laction level (90th percentile) | Reported, not scored (compliance is on the 90th percentile) |
| Copper (tap samples) | 9252 detects | 36.298 µg/L | 163 µg/L | 1300 µg/Laction level (90th percentile) | Reported, not scored (compliance is on the 90th percentile) |
Averages count non-detects as zero. TTHM and HAA5 limits are locational running annual averages, so a single high sample is not a violation — we grade those on the average only. Lead and copper rows are individual tap samples and are shown for context; compliance (and our score) uses the 90th-percentile result above. LRAA = locational running annual average; ND = not detected.
Source: SYR4 Six-Year Review compliance monitoring data 2012–2019 (released 2024-03)
HOT SPRINGS UTILITIES · 39,399 service lines inventoried · Q2 2026 snapshot
HOT SPRINGS UTILITIES reports no confirmed lead service lines, but 28,032 lines (71%) have not yet been verified, so lead cannot be ruled out for those homes. Utilities must keep investigating unknown lines under EPA's Lead and Copper Rule Improvements.
Source: EPA SDWIS Service Line Inventory (Q2 2026) · PWS ID AR0000209 · See all Arkansas lead service lines. We may earn a commission from filters and test kits, at no extra cost to you.
Surface-water systems draw from rivers, lakes or reservoirs and must filter and disinfect, which is why disinfection byproducts (TTHM, HAA5) are the readings to watch.
How to test your tap water and the treatment options that actually fit Hot Springs homes
The most reliable way to know what is actually coming out of your tap is a certified mail-in lab test. City-wide EPA data (like the report above) reflects the water leaving the treatment plant, but contaminants such as lead and copper can be picked up from your own service line and household plumbing — so the water at your Hot Springs faucet can differ from the system average. A state-certified lab measures dozens of contaminants at once with results you can trust; you can also find one near you through the EPA's certified-lab list at epa.gov/dwlabcert. Hardware-store test strips are cheaper and instant, but they only screen for a few basics (chlorine, hardness, pH, and a rough lead pass/fail) and are far less accurate — treat them as a first look, not a diagnosis.
Match the treatment to what your test finds. Reverse osmosis (RO) removes the widest range of contaminants — lead, arsenic, nitrate, PFAS, and dissolved solids — which makes an under-sink reverse osmosis system the most thorough choice for Hot Springs households with heavy-metal or PFAS concerns. If your main issue is taste, odor, or chlorine, an activated carbon filter (pitcher, faucet, or under-sink) is simpler and cheaper and handles chlorine and many organic compounds well, though carbon alone does not remove arsenic, nitrate, or most PFAS. NSF-certified pitchers rated for lead reduction are the easiest way to start today while you decide on a permanent setup.
We may earn a commission from testing kits and filters purchased through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Hot Springs ranks #15 of 18 graded Arkansas cities.
By EPA's records, yes. HOT SPRINGS UTILITIES earns a A: no health-based violations in the last five years, a lead 90th-percentile result of 1 ppb, and no PFAS detected in UCMR5 sampling. Lead from your own plumbing is the main risk city data cannot see.
HOT SPRINGS UTILITIES's most recent Lead and Copper Rule result (2023-01-01 to 2025-12-31) was 1 ppb at the 90th percentile, below EPA's 15 ppb action level. Because lead usually comes from service lines and household plumbing, homes built before 1986 should still test at the tap.
No. None of the 232 UCMR5 PFAS results for HOT SPRINGS UTILITIES (2023-02-08 to 2023-11-15) were at or above the reporting limit of roughly 3–5 ppt.
HOT SPRINGS UTILITIES has 2 violations on file since 2016: 0 health-based in the last five years and 1 monitoring or reporting violation in that window. Monitoring violations are paperwork lapses, not measured contamination.
HOT SPRINGS UTILITIES reports surface water as its primary source and serves about 75,343 people (EPA PWSID AR0000209).
Not on the strength of EPA's data for HOT SPRINGS UTILITIES. A filter still helps with taste and with lead from your own plumbing, which no city-level test can measure.
Even with good water quality, a filter removes trace contaminants and improves taste.
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