The Arkansas Natural Resource Commission has been awarded $13.5 million by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to install, upgrade and replace water infrastructure in the state.
The commission will use the funds primarily to provide loan assistance to eligible public water systems to ensure safe drinking water, according to a news release.
The grant was awarded as part of the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) to make funds available to drinking water systems to finance infrastructure improvements, the release said.
The program also emphasizes providing funds to small and disadvantaged communities and to programs that encourage pollution prevention as a tool for ensuring safe drinking water.