Is tap water safe in Oxford?

EPA SDWIS shows no active health-based violation in this profile's reporting window. That is not the same as proving every contaminant is absent, and federal data can lag state and utility records.

How hard is the water in Oxford, AR?

Nearby USGS observations produce an estimate of 249 ppm (14.6 grains per gallon), classified as very hard. This is not a tap measurement.

Do I need a water softener in ZIP code 72517?

At 249 ppm, a correctly sized whole-house softener can reduce scale buildup and hard-water spotting. Treatment for hardness does not remove all health-related contaminants.

City water profile

Oxford water quality

Compare local ZIP estimates, evidence quality, associated public systems, and compliance history for Oxford, Arkansas.

Median indexed hardness

249PPM

2 indexed ZIPs

Range 249–249 PPM

State comparison: 178 PPM above
State hardness rank: #10 of 180
Matched utilities: 1
Active health records: 0

City summary

What the indexed records say

Oxford has 2 published ZIP profiles across Izard County. The indexed median is 249 PPM, compared with 71 PPM across Arkansas.

Among the 180 Arkansascities with an indexed median, Oxford ranks #10from highest to lowest. Across all 210 state ZIP profiles, available estimates run from 4.8to 283 PPM.

The 249–249 PPM range shows how much the available ZIP estimates vary within the city label.

Hardness distribution

How local ZIP estimates compare

Soft0 ZIPs

Moderately hard0 ZIPs

Hard0 ZIPs

Very hard2 ZIPs

2 of 2 ZIP profiles have a hardness estimate. Bars count ZIP profiles, not households or laboratory samples.

Evidence quality

Distance, dates, and confidence

Median nearest distance: 17.2 miles
Profiles with evidence: 2/2

Confidence labels

High: 0Moderate: 2Low: 0

Observation window: Mar 1, 2016 to Aug 8, 2024.

ZIP directory

Water reports in Oxford

Open a ZIP for site-level provenance and measurements.

ZIP code

72517

Very Hard

249 PPM

Nearest site: 17.2 mi
Confidence: Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

ZIP code

72565

Very Hard

249 PPM

Nearest site: 11.6 mi
Confidence: Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

Public water systems

Utilities associated with this city

Oxford Waterworks

PWSID AR0000259

Groundwater

System population served: 1,402
Last reported: May 12, 2026

A municipal system, in-state city, and served county all agree with this Census ZCTA.

Compliance history

What EPA records show

No active health-based violation appears among the associated systems in the represented EPA reporting quarter. This does not mean every contaminant was tested at every tap.

No violation records are included in the current lookback window.

Practical next steps

Move from index to evidence

1. Open your ZIP. Check distance, dates, confidence, and the associated utility.
2. Read the current CCR. Confirm source water, detections, limits, ranges, and notices.
3. Test the tap when needed. Confirm health concerns or treatment sizing with the right method.

Continue comparing

Other Arkansas communities

Horseshoe Bend

Izard County

236 PPM median

Melbourne

Izard County

225 PPM median

Monticello

Drew County

249 PPM median

Eudora

Chicot County

252 PPM median

Newark

Independence County

253 PPM median

Salem

Fulton County

243 PPM median

Search all 180 Arkansas cities →

Questions people ask

About water in Oxford

Is the water hard?

The indexed city median is 249 PPM. Open the ZIP report to verify the distance and confidence behind that estimate.

Is the tap water safe?

Compliance history is utility-wide and cannot guarantee conditions at every tap. Check current notices and test when address-specific evidence is needed.

Do I need treatment?

Choose treatment only after confirming the problem at the property. A softener targets hardness; contaminant treatment requires a matching, verified performance claim.