At the Arkansas Rural Water Association’s 47th Annual Technical Conference up in Hot Springs this month, Emmet’s tap water took part in a contest to determine which rural water system out of 13 entrants tasted the best. 

The result? Emmet’s water came in second place. 

The news was not surprising to Emmet Mayor Dale Booker. “that's one thing that's been mentioned for years, how good the water taste in Emmet,” he said. “And it's true. I've never tasted water that I would say tasted better than our water.” 

Booker ascribed the water’s taste to the quality of the two wells the town’s water comes from. “The aquifer that we draw water out of just happens to be a very clean water. And when I say clean, state law requires all public water systems to be chlorinated. So we have to put chlorine in our water just because the law requires it. Not because it has a problem; just because of possible problems.  But we keep it at a minimum, so it doesn’t take away from the great taste that we've got,” Booker said. 

Dennis Sternberg, CEO of Arkansas Rural Water Association said “Judges were randomly asked to grade the water on clarity, smell and taste.” 

The water from Yorktown, a tiny town northeast of Star City placed first. Two systems tied for third place, Beaver Fork Public Water Authority, based in Conway, and Hot Springs Village Water Department.