01The verdict: is Caddo Valley water safe?
Caddo Valley's tap water meets most EPA standards but has areas that warrant attention. With a grade of A (91.7/100), some contaminant levels or compliance issues suggest that residents may benefit from additional filtration. The city's 1 water system serves approximately 535 residents using surface water (rivers, lakes, or reservoirs).
1 unresolved violation on record
EPA records show an open compliance item for this system. Most are administrative, but unresolved items are worth watching.
See what was cited ↓Lead is well under the limit
90th-percentile lead is 1.0 ppb — beneath the 15 ppb federal action level and under the 5 ppb watch threshold.
See the trend ↓1 violation in the last five years
Recent compliance history is the best predictor of future problems — the year-by-year record is below.
See the record ↓Caddo Valley's drinking water received a grade of A (91.7 out of 100), indicating excellent water quality. The city's 1 water system serves approximately 535 residents using purchased surface water.
Lead levels were measured at 1.0 ppb (90th percentile), well within EPA limits. This system has not yet been tested for PFAS under the EPA UCMR 5 program. The system has 7 violations on record, including 0 health-based violations. 1 remains unresolved.
Caddo Valley ranks #67 out of 345 cities in Arkansas for water quality, placing it above average in the state. The city draws from surface water sources, which are more susceptible to seasonal runoff and agricultural contamination, requiring extensive multi-barrier treatment including coagulation, filtration, and disinfection. As a small community water system, Caddo Valley may have fewer resources for advanced treatment technologies and infrastructure upgrades compared to larger utilities.
02What's in Caddo Valley's water
Every contaminant flagged in Caddo Valley, on one shared scale: distance to its own legal limit. The red line is the limit — anything past it is out of compliance, and the closer a bar gets, the less headroom the system has.
Full contaminants report
| Contaminant | Detected Level | EPA Limit | Unit | Category | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lead (90th percentile) LeadHeavy Metal A toxic heavy metal that can leach into drinking water from older pipes, solder, and fixtures. No amount of lead in water is considered safe. Health EffectsBrain and nervous system damage in children, kidney damage, high blood pressure, and reproductive problems in adults. EPA Limit15 ppb action level Common SourcesCorrosion of lead pipes, lead solder, brass faucets, and household plumbing. | 1.0 | 15 | ppb | Inorganic | Safe |
Cities ranked by 90th-percentile lead PF PFAS in Arkansas
Cities ranked by compounds detected Cu Copper in Arkansas
Cities ranked by 90th-percentile copper
03Caddo Valley's ten-year track record
Each box is one year. A green check means no EPA violations; a numbered badge counts that year's violations — red if any were health-based, amber if they were monitoring or paperwork issues. The system has 7 violations on record, including 0 health-based violations. 1 remains unresolved.
9 of the last ten years were clean. The numbered years had EPA violations — red when any were health-based, amber when they were paperwork or missed-testing issues.
▼ Down 0 ppb since 1993. Latest reading: 1 ppb (2002) — 7% of the action level. Sampled at higher-risk homes (90th percentile).
04Where Caddo Valley's water comes from
Caddo Valley's drinking water comes primarily from surface water sources such as rivers, lakes, or reservoirs.
Purchased Surface Water
Rivers, lakes, or reservoirs — more exposed to runoff, agriculture, and seasonal swings than groundwater.
Wholesale supplier
Multi-barrier treatment: coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection to meet EPA standards.
1 system
1 water system, operated under private ownership.
535 people
Residents served across Caddo Valley's service area.
Surface water systems require multi-stage treatment including coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection to meet EPA Safe Drinking Water Act standards. These sources can be impacted by seasonal changes, stormwater runoff, upstream agriculture, and industrial discharge. The system is operated by private ownership and serves approximately 535 people through 1 water system.
| System name | PWSID | Population | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| CADDO VALLEY WATERWORKS | AR0000515 | 535 | Purchased Surface Water |
05Pressure on Caddo Valley's watershed
Outside forces that shape what reaches the treatment plant. None of these is a verdict on the tap by itself — but each adds pressure worth knowing about.
Industrial discharge
3 facilities within 10 miles reported 0 lb released to surface water in the latest EPA Toxics Release Inventory. Proximity doesn't equal tap contamination — treatment and hydrology decide — but it's pressure on the watershed.
Flood & storm history
6 federal disaster declarations on record for Clark County. Flooding and severe storms can overwhelm treatment plants, cause sewage overflows, and push runoff into supplies.
Drought
Clark County is in D1 (moderate drought) per the U.S. Drought Monitor (week of Jul 2026). Drought can raise disinfection-byproduct levels and taste/odor issues as utilities draw from lower reservoirs.
06How Caddo Valley compares
Scores for nearby Arkansas cities on one line, with the average marked.
dashed line = Arkansas average (75/100)
Caddo Valley scores 91.7/100 — above the Arkansas average of 75/100. It outscores 9 of 10 nearby cities. Full Arkansas rankings →
69.3 / 100DFayetteville, AR
46.4 / 100BSpringdale, AR
79.1 / 100DFort Smith, AR
45.5 / 100BHot Springs, AR
81.2 / 100BRogers, AR
71.9 / 100
Compare all cities in the county — grades, violations, and contaminant data side by side.→
07What to do at home
Steps matched to what testing actually found in Caddo Valley's water — not generic advice.
A basic carbon filter still helps
Caddo Valley's water meets federal standards, but a simple carbon filter improves taste and adds a margin of safety against short-term issues.
Compare tested filters →Read your utility's annual report
Every utility must publish a yearly Consumer Confidence Report with its own testing results. It pairs well with the independent data on this page.
How to read a CCR →Watch for Caddo Valley alerts
This area has a history of flood declarations — after severe weather, watch for boil-water advisories from the utility, and check the live alerts on this page.
All water alerts →Frequently asked questions
Is Caddo Valley, AR tap water safe to drink?
Caddo Valley's water quality earned a grade of A (91.7/100). The water generally meets EPA standards and is considered safe for consumption. The city ranks #67 out of 345 cities tested in Arkansas.
What contaminants are in Caddo Valley's water?
Lead was measured at 1.0 ppb (90th percentile). 7 violations are on record.
How is Caddo Valley's water quality grade calculated?
The grade is based on four factors: violation history (40%), lead and copper levels (25%), PFAS contamination (25%), and regulatory compliance (10%). The score is also adjusted based on how complete the available data is. See our methodology page for full details.
Do I need a water filter in Caddo Valley?
Based on current data, basic filtration should suffice for additional peace of mind.
Where does Caddo Valley's water come from?
Caddo Valley's water is sourced from Purchased surface water. The city has 1 water system serving approximately 535 residents.
How does Caddo Valley's water compare to other cities?
Caddo Valley ranks #67 out of 345 cities in Arkansas (better than 81% of state cities) and #1553 out of 15382 cities nationally (90th percentile). The grade of A reflects the combined assessment of violation history, lead and copper levels, PFAS contamination, and regulatory compliance.
Does Caddo Valley's small water system affect quality?
Caddo Valley's system serves approximately 535 residents. Small community water systems (under 3,300 people) may have fewer financial resources for infrastructure upgrades and advanced treatment technologies. However, they are held to the same EPA drinking water standards as larger systems. This system has 7 violations on record.