01The verdict: is Palestine water safe?
Palestine's tap water meets most EPA standards but has areas that warrant attention. With a grade of A (92.7/100), some contaminant levels or compliance issues suggest that residents may benefit from additional filtration. The city's 1 water system serves approximately 1,649 residents using groundwater (wells).
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 ↓Top half in Arkansas
Palestine ranks #51 of 345 graded Arkansas cities.
See the comparison ↓A flood-prone service area
7 federal disaster declarations on record. After severe weather, watch for boil-water advisories.
See the risk factors ↓Palestine's drinking water received a grade of A (92.7 out of 100), indicating excellent water quality. The city's 1 water system serves approximately 1,649 residents using purchased ground water.
Lead data is not currently available for this system. This system has not yet been tested for PFAS under the EPA UCMR 5 program. The system has 6 violations on record, including 0 health-based violations. 1 remains unresolved.
Palestine ranks #51 out of 345 cities in Arkansas for water quality, placing it above average in the state. Palestine purchases its water from a regional wholesaler, meaning quality depends on both the supplier's treatment and the local distribution system's condition. Hexavalent chromium (chromium-6) was detected at 3.51 µg/L in UCMR 3 testing. While below California's 10 µg/L limit and with no federal MCL set, residents sensitive to this contaminant may consider reverse osmosis filtration. As a small community water system, Palestine may have fewer resources for advanced treatment technologies and infrastructure upgrades compared to larger utilities.
02What's in Palestine's water
Every contaminant flagged in Palestine, 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
No contaminant data available for this city.
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
03Palestine'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 6 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.
04Where Palestine's water comes from
Palestine purchases its water supply from a regional wholesale provider rather than treating raw water directly.
Purchased Groundwater
Water is bought from a regional wholesaler; quality starts at the supplier's intake and treatment.
Wholesale supplier
Primary treatment happens at the wholesaler; the local utility maintains disinfectant residual in its pipes.
1 system
1 water system, operated under local government ownership.
1,649 people
Residents served across Palestine's service area.
Water quality depends on both the wholesaler's treatment standards and the condition of Palestine's local distribution pipes and storage facilities. Purchased water systems are common in suburban areas and smaller communities that lack the infrastructure for independent treatment. The system is operated by local government ownership and serves approximately 1,649 people through 1 water system.
| System name | PWSID | Population | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| PALESTINE WATER ASSOCIATION | AR0000536 | 1,649 | Purchased Groundwater |
Water bodies near Palestine
These water bodies shape the regional watershed and can indirectly affect groundwater quality.
05Pressure on Palestine'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
2 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
7 federal disaster declarations on record for St. Francis County. Flooding and severe storms can overwhelm treatment plants, cause sewage overflows, and push runoff into supplies.
Drought
Saint Francis 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 Palestine compares
Scores for nearby Arkansas cities on one line, with the average marked.
dashed line = Arkansas average (75/100)
Palestine scores 92.7/100 — 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 Palestine's water — not generic advice.
A basic carbon filter still helps
Palestine'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 Palestine 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 Palestine, AR tap water safe to drink?
Palestine's water quality earned a grade of A (92.7/100). The water generally meets EPA standards and is considered safe for consumption. The city ranks #51 out of 345 cities tested in Arkansas.
What contaminants are in Palestine's water?
6 violations are on record.
How is Palestine'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 Palestine?
Based on current data, basic filtration should suffice for additional peace of mind.
Where does Palestine's water come from?
Palestine's water is sourced from Purchased ground water. The city has 1 water system serving approximately 1,649 residents.
Is Palestine's groundwater at risk of contamination?
Palestine uses groundwater, which can be affected by naturally occurring contaminants like arsenic, radon, and nitrate, as well as agricultural runoff and industrial activity. The system has 6 violations on record that may relate to groundwater quality. Groundwater systems are generally less susceptible to surface contamination but should be monitored for emerging contaminants like PFAS.
How does Palestine's water compare to other cities?
Palestine ranks #51 out of 345 cities in Arkansas (better than 85% of state cities) and #1138 out of 15382 cities nationally (93th percentile). The grade of A reflects the combined assessment of violation history, lead and copper levels, PFAS contamination, and regulatory compliance.
Does Palestine's small water system affect quality?
Palestine's system serves approximately 1,649 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 6 violations on record.