Little Rock
Little Rock, AR water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
central arkansas water
surface water (rivers/reservoirs) · local government · PWSID AR0000465
Below EPA's 15 ppb lead action level at last testing.
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1
Little Rock is a mid-sized city and the largest in Arkansas, home to roughly 197,992 residents. Little Rock's drinking water comes largely from the same regional sources that serve Arkansas: Arkansas River, Mississippi alluvial aquifer, and Ozark aquifer.
As elsewhere in Arkansas, the central challenge is groundwater depletion. Heavy agricultural pumping from the alluvial aquifer for rice and row crops is the dominant long-term concern.
Arkansas reuses an estimated 5% of its treated wastewater and maintains minimal reuse programs; Little Rock tracks exceptional drought conditions on the U.S. Drought Monitor scale.
Explore the Arkansas profile for statewide context, or dig into the water issues shaping Little Rock below.
Pulaski County water quality
Source: EPA SDWIS · 2026 Q1
At a glance
- Population ~197,992 (largest in Arkansas)
- Primary sources: Arkansas River, Mississippi alluvial aquifer, and Ozark aquifer
- Drought: exceptional conditions
- State reuse rate: ~5% of wastewater
Statewide drought history
% of Arkansas in severe+ drought (Exceptional (D4) now).
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Little Rock?
Little Rock's largest water system, CENTRAL ARKANSAS WATER, serves about 368,455 people. EPA records show 0 health-based violation(s) since 2016 and a most-recent 90th-percentile lead level of 1 ppb (EPA action level is 15 ppb). Always check your own provider's annual Consumer Confidence Report.
Where does Little Rock get its water?
CENTRAL ARKANSAS WATER draws primarily from surface water (rivers/reservoirs), part of Arkansas's supply from Arkansas River, Mississippi alluvial aquifer, Ozark aquifer.
Related water issues
Groundwater Depletion
Aquifers from the Central Valley to the Ogallala are being pumped faster than they recharge, causing land subsidence and threatening long-term supply.
ExploreAgricultural Demand
Agriculture accounts for the majority of consumptive water use in the West, making farm efficiency and water markets central to any supply solution.
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