Public water system · AR0000503
ActiveCentral City Water Department
At a glance
Central City Water Department (PWSID AR0000503) is an active community water system in Sebastian County, Arkansas. It reports serving 1,227 people through 500 service connections. Its primary water source is purchased surface water, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 5 are health-based, and the most recent began in November 2020.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
1,227
Service connections
500
Primary source
SWP
Purchased surface water
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Central City Water Department compare with other water systems in Sebastian County?
By EPA's size categories, Central City Water Department is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Sebastian County has 12 active public water systems, and Central City Water Department is the 6th-largest of them by population served. Its population served is well below the county average of 9,407 people per system, and accounts for 1.1% of the 112,887 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Arkansas, the 853 active systems average 3,592 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Central City Water Department is well below that figure.
What does “community water system” mean?
A community water system serves at least 15 connections used by year-round residents, or regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents. Homes, apartments and mobile-home parks are served by these. Arkansas has 660 active community water systems, 77% of the state's 853 active systems. Purchased surface water means the system buys surface water from another public water system rather than drawing its own. 237 Arkansas systems (28%) list purchased surface water as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Central City Water Department?
EPA lists Central City Water Department as owned by a local government. The AR state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 12 of the 12 active systems in Sebastian County (100%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Central City Water Department have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 5 are health-based, and the most recent began in November 2020. The violations listed here began between June 1992 and November 2020. By type: 5 contaminant level above the legal limit, 4 monitoring and reporting, 2 public notice, recordkeeping or other and 1 monitoring. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (10 of them). EPA lists 8 as archived and 4 as resolved. Archived means the violation was not marked resolved but is more than five years past the end of the noncompliance period, so it no longer counts toward current compliance status. Resolved means at least one resolving action is on record: the system returned to compliance, the rule no longer applies, or no further action was needed.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-11-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Archived |
| 2015-11-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2014-11-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2014-05-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2009-12-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Repeat Minor (TCR) · code 26 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 1996-12-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 1995-10-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherNotification, Public · code 06 | Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0200 | No | Archived |
| 1993-06-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Acute (TCR) · code 21 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 1993-06-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Repeat Minor (TCR) · code 26 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
| 1993-05-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Acute (TCR) · code 21 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 1992-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 1992-06-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherNotification, Public · code 06 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Archived |
The 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, newest first.Labels and codes come from EPA's SDWIS reference tables. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found. "Health-based" marks violations of a legal limit or required treatment.
Central City Water Department: frequently asked questions
Who runs Central City Water Department?
Central City Water Department (PWSID AR0000503) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the AR state drinking water program.
How many people does Central City Water Department serve?
Central City Water Department reports serving 1,227 people through 500 service connections in Sebastian County, Arkansas.
Where does Central City Water Department get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as purchased surface water. Purchased surface water means the system buys surface water from another public water system rather than drawing its own.
Does Central City Water Department have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 5 are health-based, and the most recent began in November 2020. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found.
Is Central City Water Department's water safe to drink?
AquaCensus shows EPA compliance records, not current water test results, so it cannot say whether the water is safe at a given moment. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 5 are health-based, and the most recent began in November 2020. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the AR state drinking water program.
Where can I find Central City Water Department's water quality report?
As a community water system, Central City Water Department must deliver an annual water quality report, called a Consumer Confidence Report, to its customers by July 1 each year, covering the previous calendar year. The system can provide a copy on request.
Other water systems in Sebastian County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Smith Water Utilities | Sebastian | 86,209 | Community | Surface water |
| Greenwood Waterworks | Sebastian | 9,905 | Community | Surface water |
| Barling Waterworks | Sebastian | 5,822 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Lavaca Waterworks | Sebastian | 3,650 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Mansfield Waterworks | Sebastian | 2,367 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Hackett Waterworks | Sebastian | 1,090 | Community | Purchased surface water |
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About this data
Source: U.S. EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and SDWA violation records, via EPA ECHO, as published October 1, 2026 — AquaCensus refreshes it quarterly. See the methodology for how records are matched, cleaned and scored.
Cite as: AquaCensus, “Central City Water Department, PWSID AR0000503, Arkansas”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/arkansas/central-city-water-department-ar0000503 (data as of October 1, 2026).