Fort Smith, Arkansas sits at the confluence of the Arkansas and Poteau Rivers, right on the Oklahoma border. It’s the second-largest city in the state with about 90,000 residents, and it has a long industrial history that includes manufacturing, metalworking, furniture production, and food processing. That industrial activity shaped the local economy — and left marks on the environment that affect water quality to this day.
Industrial Legacy
Fort Smith’s industrial heritage dates to the 19th century, when the city’s strategic river location made it a hub for commerce and manufacturing. Over the decades, the city hosted glass factories, furniture manufacturers, metalworking operations, and various other industrial enterprises.
The environmental consequences of that activity show up in several ways:
The Midland Drainage Ditch, which runs through parts of the city, has been identified as a pathway for industrial contaminants to reach local waterways. Historical industrial operations along or near the ditch discharged waste that contaminated soil and shallow groundwater.
The Arkansas River itself receives runoff and permitted discharges from industrial facilities, agricultural operations, and municipal sources along its entire length. By the time it reaches Fort Smith, the river has traveled through Kansas and Oklahoma, picking up contaminants from upstream sources including agriculture, oil and gas production, and urban runoff.
Legacy contamination sites in and around Fort Smith include former industrial properties with soil and groundwater contamination from solvents, petroleum products, and heavy metals. The Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment’s Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ) maintains a list of contaminated sites and tracks cleanup progress.
The Whirlpool Superfund Site
One of the most significant contamination sites in the Fort Smith area is the former Whirlpool Corporation facility, which operated as a manufacturing plant for decades. The site was placed on the EPA’s National Priorities List due to contamination of soil and groundwater with trichloroethylene (TCE) and other chlorinated solvents.
TCE is a volatile organic compound that was widely used as a metal degreaser in manufacturing. It’s classified as a carcinogen by the EPA, and even small concentrations in drinking water can pose health risks. The EPA’s maximum contaminant level for TCE in drinking water is 5 parts per billion.
The EPA has conducted remedial investigations and implemented cleanup actions at the Whirlpool site, including groundwater extraction and treatment. The contamination plume has been monitored to track its extent and ensure it doesn’t affect drinking water wells in the area.
Fort Smith’s Drinking Water
The Fort Smith Utility Department provides water to the city and surrounding areas. The system draws from Lee Creek Reservoir, located in the Boston Mountains of the Ozarks about 35 miles east of the city. This is a significant advantage — Lee Creek is a relatively pristine mountain watershed, providing high-quality raw water that requires less intensive treatment than a river source would.
The utility operates the Lee Creek Water Treatment Plant, which uses conventional treatment processes. According to the city’s Consumer Confidence Reports, Fort Smith’s water meets all EPA primary drinking water standards.
The choice of Lee Creek over the Arkansas River as a drinking water source was a smart one. The Arkansas River through this stretch carries sediment, agricultural runoff, and upstream urban and industrial discharges that would require more complex and costly treatment. Lee Creek provides a cleaner starting point.
That said, water quality at the tap depends on more than just the source. The distribution system — the network of pipes, storage tanks, and service connections that deliver water from the treatment plant to homes and businesses — plays a critical role.
Distribution System Challenges
Fort Smith’s water system serves a city with roots going back to the 1800s. The oldest sections of the distribution system include pipes installed during the city’s early growth periods, and aging infrastructure creates several potential issues:
Pipe corrosion in older cast iron and galvanized steel mains can release iron, manganese, and other metals into the water. Discolored water — usually reddish-brown from iron — is a common complaint in areas served by older pipes. While iron discoloration is primarily an aesthetic issue, it indicates pipe deterioration that can affect water quality in other ways.
Lead service lines and lead solder may be present in homes and connections dating to before 1986, when Congress banned the use of lead in plumbing materials. Fort Smith, like many cities of its age, is conducting a service line inventory as required under the EPA’s revised Lead and Copper Rule.
Water age — the time water spends in the distribution system before reaching consumers — can be a concern in systems with oversized infrastructure relative to current demand. Longer residence times in pipes can lead to disinfectant residual decay and promote the growth of biofilms.
The Fort Smith Utility Department has been investing in distribution system improvements, including pipe replacement and rehabilitation projects. The city has also pursued state revolving fund loans and federal infrastructure funding to support these upgrades.
Poteau River Watershed
While Lee Creek is the primary drinking water source, the Poteau River also plays a role in the area’s water resources. The Wister Lake reservoir on the Poteau River in Oklahoma provides supplemental water supply for the region.
The Poteau River watershed has its own water quality concerns, including:
- Poultry litter runoff from the large concentration of poultry farms in the Ouachita Mountain region. Northwest Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma host some of the country’s largest poultry operations, and excess nutrients — particularly phosphorus and nitrogen — from poultry waste have been a significant source of water quality degradation.
- Nutrient loading that promotes algal growth in reservoirs, potentially producing taste and odor compounds and, in extreme cases, harmful algal blooms.
- Sedimentation from forestry operations and land disturbance in the watershed.
The nutrient pollution issue in the Arkansas-Oklahoma border region has been the subject of long-running legal and regulatory disputes, with both states working to address phosphorus loading from agricultural sources.
What the Data Shows
Fort Smith’s water system has maintained generally good compliance with EPA drinking water standards. The utility’s Consumer Confidence Report typically shows:
- All regulated contaminants within EPA limits
- Disinfection byproducts (THMs and HAAs) detected but below MCLs
- Turbidity well controlled thanks to the quality of the Lee Creek source
- No recent MCL violations
The EWG Tap Water Database identifies certain contaminants detected above EWG’s health guidelines but within EPA legal limits, a finding consistent with most public water systems nationwide.
Private Wells
Residents in Sebastian County outside the Fort Smith utility’s service area may rely on private wells. Groundwater quality in the Fort Smith area varies based on geology and proximity to contamination sources.
The Ozark Plateau’s karst geology — characterized by limestone bedrock with fractures, sinkholes, and underground channels — means groundwater can be vulnerable to surface contamination. Contaminants on the surface can reach wells quickly through these natural pathways, without the filtering effect that occurs in more porous geological formations.
Private well owners in karst terrain should test for:
- Bacteria (total coliform and E. coli) — karst aquifers are particularly vulnerable to bacterial contamination
- Nitrates — from agricultural activity and septic systems
- Turbidity — may increase after rain events in karst systems
- Any contaminants associated with nearby land uses — industrial sites, gas stations, agricultural operations
What Residents Can Do
- Review Fort Smith’s Consumer Confidence Report annually. Understand what’s tested and what’s found.
- Check your home’s plumbing age. If built before 1986, test for lead at the tap.
- Report water quality complaints — discolored water, unusual taste or odor, low pressure — to the utility promptly. These can indicate distribution system issues that need attention.
- Private well owners: test annually and after any flooding or unusual weather events. The Arkansas DEQ can direct you to certified laboratories.
Water Treatment Options
For lead concerns: Point-of-use reverse osmosis or NSF/ANSI 53-certified carbon block filters effectively reduce lead at the drinking water tap.
For iron discoloration: Oxidation filters, water softeners, or whole-house sediment filtration can address aesthetic iron issues.
For private well users in karst areas: UV disinfection systems provide protection against bacteria and viruses without adding chemicals. Combined with sediment and carbon filtration, UV systems provide comprehensive treatment.
For disinfection byproducts: Activated carbon filtration at point-of-use effectively reduces THMs and HAAs.
Fort Smith’s water advantages start with a good source — Lee Creek provides cleaner raw water than many cities have to work with. The challenges are in the distribution system and in legacy contamination from the city’s industrial past. Knowing about both sides gives residents the information they need to make smart decisions about their household water.
If you’re concerned about your water quality, a certified water treatment professional can test your water and advise on solutions.