Public water system · AR0000172
ActivePickens Waterworks
At a glance
Pickens Waterworks (PWSID AR0000172) is an active community water system in Desha County, Arkansas. It reports serving 49 people through 30 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 4 are health-based, and the most recent began in April 2026.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
49
Service connections
30
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Pickens Waterworks compare with other water systems in Desha County?
By EPA's size categories, Pickens Waterworks is a very small system (500 people or fewer). Desha County has 11 active public water systems. Its population served is well below the county average of 1,211 people per system, and accounts for 0.4% of the 13,321 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 Pickens Waterworks 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. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. 461 Arkansas systems (54%) list groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Pickens Waterworks?
EPA lists Pickens Waterworks 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. 8 of the 11 active systems in Desha County (73%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Pickens Waterworks have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 4 are health-based, and the most recent began in April 2026. The violations listed here began between October 2025 and April 2026. By type: 4 required treatment not met, 3 reporting, 3 public notice, recordkeeping or other and 2 monitoring. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Revised Total Coliform Rule (4 of them). EPA lists 10 as addressed and 2 as archived. Addressed means the violation is not resolved or archived and is covered by formal enforcement. 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.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-30 | ReportingLSL Reporting · code 4G | Lead and Copper Rule Revisionscode 5200 | No | Addressed |
| 2026-04-30 | Required treatment not metLSL Inventory · code 2E | Lead and Copper Rule Revisionscode 5200 | Yes | Addressed |
| 2025-12-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation for NPDWR Violation · code 75 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Addressed |
| 2025-12-01 | ReportingReport Sample Result/Fail Monitor (RTCR) · code 4B | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Addressed |
| 2025-12-01 | Required treatment not metTreatment Technique No Certif. Operator · code 12 | Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rulecode 0400 | Yes | Addressed |
| 2025-12-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Archived |
| 2025-11-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation for NPDWR Violation · code 75 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Addressed |
| 2025-11-01 | Required treatment not metTreatment Technique No Certif. Operator · code 12 | Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rulecode 0400 | Yes | Addressed |
| 2025-11-01 | ReportingReport Sample Result/Fail Monitor (RTCR) · code 4B | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Addressed |
| 2025-10-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation for NPDWR Violation · code 75 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Addressed |
| 2025-10-01 | Required treatment not metTreatment Technique No Certif. Operator · code 12 | Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rulecode 0400 | Yes | Addressed |
| 2025-10-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | 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.
Pickens Waterworks: frequently asked questions
Who runs Pickens Waterworks?
Pickens Waterworks (PWSID AR0000172) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the AR state drinking water program.
How many people does Pickens Waterworks serve?
Pickens Waterworks reports serving 49 people through 30 service connections in Desha County, Arkansas.
Where does Pickens Waterworks get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as groundwater. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers.
Does Pickens Waterworks have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 4 are health-based, and the most recent began in April 2026. 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 Pickens Waterworks' 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, 4 are health-based, and the most recent began in April 2026. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the AR state drinking water program.
Where can I find Pickens Waterworks' water quality report?
As a community water system, Pickens Waterworks 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 Desha County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dumas Waterworks | Desha | 6,338 | Community | Groundwater |
| Mc Gehee Waterworks | Desha | 3,849 | Community | Groundwater |
| Pendleton-Pea Ridge Water Assn | Desha | 845 | Community | Purchased groundwater |
| Kelso-Rohwer Water Association | Desha | 563 | Community | Groundwater |
| Arkansas City Waterworks | Desha | 360 | Community | Groundwater |
| Clearwater Paper Corporation | Desha | 339 | Non-transient non-community | Groundwater |
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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, “Pickens Waterworks, PWSID AR0000172, Arkansas”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/arkansas/pickens-waterworks-ar0000172 (data as of October 1, 2026).