Table of Contents
Can You Drink Tap Water in Hot Springs?
Yes, Hot Springs's tap water is generally considered safe to drink as Hot Springs has no active health based violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) that we are aware of. Other factors such as lead piping in a home, or low levels of pollutants on immunocompromised individuals, should also be considered, however. To find more recent info we might have, you can check out our boil water notice page or the city's water provider website.
According the EPA’s ECHO database, from April 30, 2019 to June 30, 2022, Hot Springs's water utility, Hot Springs Utilities, had 0 violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act. For more details on the violations, please see our violation history section below. The last violation for Hot Springs was resolved on March 31, 2019. This assessment is based on the Hot Springs Utilities water system, other water systems in the city may have different results.
While tap water that meets the EPA health guidelines generally won’t make you sick to your stomach, it can still contain regulated and unregulated contaminants present in trace amounts that could potentially cause health issues over the long-run. These trace contaminants may also impact immunocompromised and vulnerable individuals.
The EPA is reviewing if it’s current regulations around pollutant levels in tap water are strict enough, and the health dangers posed by unregulated pollutants, like PFAS.
Water Quality Report for Hot Springs Tap Water
The most recent publicly available numbers for measured contaminant levels in Hot Springs tap water are in its 2020 Water Quality Report. As you can see, there are levels which the EPA considers to be acceptable, but being below the maximum allowable level doesn’t necessarily mean the water is healthy.
Lead in tap water, for example, is currently allowed at up to 15ppb by the EPA, but it has set the ideal goal for lead at zero. This highlights how meeting EPA standards doesn’t necessarily mean local tap water is healthy.
EPA regulations continue to change as it evaluates the long term impacts of chemicals and updates drinking water acceptable levels. The rules around arsenic, as well as, lead and copper are currently being re-evaluated.
There are also a number of "emerging" contaminants that are not currently. For example, PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), for which the EPA has issued a health advisory. PFAS are called "forever chemicals" since they tend not to break down in the environment or the human body and can accumulate over time.
We recommend looking at the contaminants present in Hot Springs's water quality reports, or getting your home's tap water tested to see if you should be filtering your water.
Hot Springs Tap Water Safe Drinking Water Act Violation History - Prior 10 Years
Below is a ten year history of violations for the water system named Hot Springs Utilities for Hot Springs in Arkansas. For more details please see the "What do these Violations Mean?" section below.
From Jan. 1, 2019 to March 31, 2019, Hot Springs had 1 health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, more specifically, the violation code was Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average which falls into the Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule rule code group, and the Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule rule code family for the following contaminant code: TTHM.
Is there Lead in Hot Springs Water?
Based on the EPA’s ECHO Database, 90% of the samples taken from the Hot Springs water system, Hot Springs Utilities, between sample start date and sample end date, were at or below, 0.001 mg/L of lead in Hot Springs water. This is 6.7% of the 0.015 mg/L action level. This means 10% of the samples taken from Hot Springs contained more lead.
While Hot Springs water testing may have found 0.001 mg/L of lead in its water, that does not mean your water source has the same amount. The amount of lead in water in a city can vary greatly from neighborhood to neighborhood, or even building to building. Many buildings, particularly older ones, have lead pipes or service lines which can be a source of contamination. To find out if your home has lead, we recommend getting you water tested.
No amount of lead in water is healthy, only less dangerous. As lead accumulates in our bodies over time, even exposure to relatively small amounts can have negative health effects. For more information, please check out our Lead FAQ page.
Are there PFAS in Hot Springs Tap Water?
Currently, testing tap water for PFAS isn’t mandated on a national level. We do have a list of military bases where there have been suspected or confirmed leaks. There appears to be at least one military base - Camp Robinson - near Hot Springs with suspected leaks.
With many potential sources of PFAS in tap water across the US, the best information we currently have about which cities have PFAS in their water is this ewg map, which you can check to see if Hot Springs has been evaluated for yet.
Our stance is better safe than sorry, and that it makes sense to try to purify the tap water just in case.
Hot Springs SDWA Violation History Table - Prior 10 Years
| Compliance Period | Status | Health-Based? | Category Code | Code | Rule Code | Contaminant Code | Rule Group Code | Rule Family Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01/01/2019 - 03/31/2019 | Resolved | Yes | Maximum Contaminant Level Violation (MCL) | Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average (02) | Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (220) | TTHM (2950) | Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (200) | Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (220) |
What do these Violations Mean?
Safe Drinking Water Act Violations categories split into two groups, health based, and non-health based. Generally, health based violations are more serious, though non-health based violations can also be cause for concern.
Health Based Violations
- Maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) - maximum allowed contaminant level was exceeded.
- Maximum residual disinfectant levels (MRDLs) - maximum allowed disinfectant level was exceeded.
- Other violations (Other) - the exact required process to reduce the amounts of contaminants in drinking water was not followed.
Non-Health Based Violations
- Monitoring and reporting violations (MR, MON) - failure to conduct the required regular monitoring of drinking water quality, and/or to submit monitoring results on time.
- Public notice violations (Other) - failure to immediately alert consumers if there is a serious problem with their drinking water that may pose a risk to public health.
- Other violations (Other) - miscellaneous violations, such as failure to issue annual consumer confidence reports or maintain required records.
SDWA Table Key
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Compliance Period | Dates of the compliance period. |
| Status |
Current status of the violation.
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| Health-Based? | Whether the violation is health based. |
| Category Code |
The category of violation that is reported.
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| Code | A full description of violation codes can be accessed in the SDWA_REF_CODE_VALUES (CSV) table. |
| Contaminant Code | A code value that represents a contaminant for which a public water system has incurred a violation of a primary drinking water regulation. |
| Rule Code |
Code for a National Drinking Water rule.
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| Rule Group Code |
Code that uniquely identifies a rule group.
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| Rule Family Code |
Code for rule family.
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For more clarification please visit the EPA's data dictionary.
Hot Springs Water - Frequently Asked Questions
| By Phone: | 501-767-4888 |
| By Email: | gjackson@cityhs.net |
| By Mail: | 780 ADAMS ST HOT SPRINGS, AR, 71901 |
Existing customers can login to their Hot Springs Utilities account to pay their Hot Springs water bill by clicking here.
If you want to pay your Hot Springs Utilities bill online and haven't made an account yet, you can create an account online. Please click here to create your account to pay your Hot Springs water bill.
If you don't want to make an account, or can't remember your account, you can make a one-time payment towards your Hot Springs water bill without creating an account using a one time payment portal with your account number and credit or debit card. Click here to make a one time payment.
Moving to a new house or apartment in Hot Springs means you will often need to put the water in your name with Hot Springs Utilities. In order to put the water in your name, please click the link to the start service form below. Start service requests for water bills typically take two business days.
Leaving your house or apartment in Hot Springs means you will likely need to take your name off of the water bill with Hot Springs Utilities. In order to take your name off the water bill, please click the link to the stop service form below. Stop service for water bills requests typically take two business days.
The estimated price of bottled water
$1.26 in USD (1.5-liter)
USER SUBMITTED RATINGS
- Drinking Water Pollution and Inaccessibility
- Water Pollution
- Drinking Water Quality and Accessibility
- Water Quality
The above data is comprised of subjective, user submitted opinions about the water quality and pollution in Hot Springs, measured on a scale from 0% (lowest) to 100% (highest).
Related FAQS
Hot Springs Water Quality Report (Consumer Confidence Report)
The EPA mandates that towns and cities consistently monitor and test their tap water. They must report their findings in an annual Consumer Confidence Report. Below is the most recent water quality report from Hot Springs's Water. If you would like to see the original version of the report, please click here.
We're pleased to present to you this year's Annual Drinking Water Quality Report. This report is designed to inform you about the quality water and services we deliver to you every day. Our goal is to provide you with a safe and dependable supply of drinking water, and we want you to understand, and be involved in, the efforts we make to continually improve the water treatment process and protect our water resources.
Where Does Our Drinking Water Come From?
The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. Our source is surface water from Lakes Hamilton and Ricks. We have two water treatment plants: Lakeside and Ouachita. The Lakeside Plant treats surface water from Lake Ricks. The Ouachita Plant treats surface water from Lake Hamilton.
How Safe Is The Source Of Our Drinking Water?
The Arkansas Department of Health has completed a Source Water Vulnerability Assessment for City of Hot Springs. The assessment summarizes the potential for contamination of our sources of drinking water and can be used as a basis for developing a source water protection plan. Based on the various criteria of the assessment, our water sources have been
determined to have a low to high susceptibility to contamination. You may request a summary of the Source Water Vulnerability Assessment from our office.
What Contaminants Can Be In Our Drinking Water?
As water travels over the surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and, in some cases, can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity. Contaminants that may be present in source water include: Microbial contaminants such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife; Inorganic contaminants such as salts and metals, which can be naturally occurring or result from urban stormwater runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming; Pesticides and herbicides which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban stormwater runoff,
and residential uses; Organic chemical contaminants including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are
runoff, and septic systems; Radioactive contaminants which can be naturally occurring or
be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.
In order to assure tap water is safe to drink, EPA has regulations which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health.
Am I at Risk?
All drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk. However, some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immuno- compromised persons such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly, and infants can be particularly at risk from small amounts of contamination. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at
What is Cryptosporidium?
Cryptosporidium is a microbial pathogen found in surface water throughout the U.S. It lives and reproduces only with the host. In the environment, Cryptosporidium exists as a thick walled oocyst, containing four organisms. Monitoring by Hot Springs Water Department in 2020 indicated no oocysts in the proposed new Intake that is being considered for construction. It is important to know that although filtration removes Cryptosporidium, the most commonly used filtration methods cannot guarantee 100 percent removal. Ingestion of Cryptosporidium may cause cryptosporidiosis, an abdominal infection. Symptoms of infection include nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps. Most healthy individuals can overcome the disease within a few weeks. However,
Lead and Drinking Water
If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. We are responsible for providing high quality drinking water but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components. When your water has been sitting for several hours, you can minimize the potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. If you are concerned about lead in your water, you may wish to have your water tested. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline or at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.
How Can I Learn More About Our Drinking Water?
If you have any questions about this report or concerning your water utility, please contact Cody Howell, Water Facilities Operations Manager, at 501-
HOT SPRINGS UTILITIES DEPARTMENT
Customer Service
24/4 Emergency Hotline
TEST RESULTS
We routinely monitor for constituents in your drinking water according to Federal and State laws. The test results table shows the results of our monitoring for the period of January 1st to December 31st, 2020. In the table you might find terms and abbreviations you are not familiar with. To help you better understand these terms we've provided the following definitions:
Action Level - the concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.
Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) - the highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology.
Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) – unenforceable public health goal; the level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety.
Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL) - the highest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants.
Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal (MRDLG) - the level of a drinking water disinfectant below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MRDLGs do not reflect the benefits of the use of disinfectants to control microbial contaminants.
Nephelometric Turbidity Unit (NTU) – a unit of measurement for the clarity of water. Turbidity in excess of 5 NTU is just noticeable.
Parts per billion (ppb) - a unit of measurement for detected levels of contaminants in drinking water. One part per billion corresponds to one minute in 2,000 years, or a single penny in $10,000,000.
Parts per million (ppm) – a unit of measurement for detected levels of contaminants in drinking water. One part per million corresponds to one minute in two years or a single penny in $10,000.
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TURBIDITY |
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Contaminant |
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Violation |
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Level Detected |
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MCLG |
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MCL |
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Major Sources in |
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(Allowable Level) |
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Drinking Water |
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Goal) |
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Highest yearly |
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Any measurement |
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sample result: 0.08 |
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in excess of 1 NTU |
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constitutes a |
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Turbidity |
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Lowest monthly % |
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NTU |
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violation |
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Soil runoff |
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of samples |
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meeting the |
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A value less than |
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turbidity limit: |
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95% constitutes a |
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100% |
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violation |
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- Turbidity is a measurement of the cloudiness of water. We monitor it because it is a good indicator of the effectiveness of our filtration system.
INORGANIC CONTAMINANTS
Contaminant
Violation Level Detected Y/N
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MCLG |
MCL |
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Unit |
(Public Health |
(Allowable |
Major Sources in Drinking Water |
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Goal) |
Level) |
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Fluoride (Ouachita WTP)
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Average: 0.61 |
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N |
Range: 0.36 - |
ppm |
4.0 |
4.0 |
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0.90 |
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LEAD AND COPPER TAP MONITORING
Erosion of natural deposits; water additive which promotes strong teeth; discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories
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Sampled |
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Action Level |
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Lead |
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31 |
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<0.001 |
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0.015 |
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Copper |
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31 |
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0.100 |
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ppm |
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1.300 |
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Major Sources in Drinking Water
Corrosion from household
plumbing systems; erosion of
natural deposits
- We are currently on a reduced monitoring schedule and required to sample once every three years for lead and copper at the customers’ taps. The results above are from 2019. Our next required monitoring period is in 2022.
TOTAL ORGANIC CARBON
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The percentage of Total Organic Carbon (TOC) removal was routinely monitored in 2020, and all TOC removal requirements set by USEPA were met. TOC has no health effects. However, Total Organic Carbon provides a medium for the formation of disinfection
by-products. Theseby-products include trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs).
REGULATED DISINFECTANTS
Disinfectant
Chlorine
Violation
Y/N
N
MRDLG
Level Detected Unit (Public Health
Goal)
Average: 1.06
Range: 0.10 – ppm 4.0 1.72
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MRDL |
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Major Sources in Drinking |
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Water |
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4.0 Water additive used to control microbes
Contaminant
HAA5 [Haloacetic Acids]
TTHM [Total Trihalomethanes]
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Level Detected |
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Y/N |
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Highest Running 12 Month |
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Average: 33.0
Range: 0 – 50.3
Highest Running 12 Month
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Average: 62.0
Range: 0 – 78.8
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MCLG |
MCL |
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Goal) |
Level) |
ppb |
0 |
60 |
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ppb |
NA |
80 |
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UNREGULATED CONTAMINANTS
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MCLG |
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Water |
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Goal) |
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Chloroform |
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ppb |
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70 |
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Chloroform |
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(Ouachita WTP) |
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13.1 |
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water disinfection |
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Bromodichloromethane |
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(Lakeside WTP) |
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3.72 |
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ppb |
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Bromodichloromethane |
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2.08 |
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- Unregulated contaminants are those for which EPA has not established drinking water standards. The purpose of unregulated contaminant monitoring is to assist EPA in determining the occurrence of unregulated contaminants in drinking water and whether future regulation is warranted. MCLs (Maximum Contaminant Levels) and MCLGs (Maximum Contaminant Level Goals) have not been established for all unregulated contaminants.
Contaminants
Hot Springs Utilities
EWG's drinking water quality report shows results of tests conducted by the water utility and provided to the Environmental Working Group by the Arkansas Department of Health, as well as information from the U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History database (ECHO). For the latest quarter assessed by the U.S. EPA (January 2019 - March 2019), tap water provided by this water utility was in compliance with federal health-based drinking water standards.
Utility details
- Serves: 92010
- Data available: 2012-2017
- Data Source: Surface water
- Total: 18
Contaminants That Exceed Guidelines
- Bromodichloromethane
- Chloroform
- Chromium (hexavalent)
- Dichloroacetic acid
- Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
- Trichloroacetic acid
Other Detected Contaminants
- Aluminum
- Cadmium
- Chromium (total)
- Dibromochloromethane
- Fluoride
- Haloacetic acids (HAA5)
- Manganese
- Monobromoacetic acid
- Monochloroacetic acid
- Nitrate and nitrite
- Strontium
- Vanadium
Reminder
Always take extra precautions, the water may be safe to drink when it leaves the sewage treatment plant but it may pick up pollutants during its way to your tap. We advise that you ask locals or hotel staff about the water quality. Also, note that different cities have different water mineral contents.
Sources and Resources
Sources Cited
Additional Resources
A lot of people have heard of hot springs, and they wonder what is so special about this unique type of water. Well, there are a lot of unique things that make this type of water hot. If you are wondering what makes this water special, then it is time to discover what it is all about. The world is so used to thinking of the cold weather and snow that we rarely give our bodies any thought when it comes to our water heating systems. It is amazing how much of our lives are connected to water.
Hot springs are one of the oldest forms of water heating technology. In fact, the very first hot springs were built centuries ago in Italy. Many of the old homes in the United States were built around water heated by stone fires. These types of water heating units require little maintenance and will continue to provide hot water for many generations to come.
One of the main reasons why hot water is so important is because it is pure. Tap water is not considered to be