State Approves $42M in Loans for Water Infrastructure Projects

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More: Trillions of gallons leak from aging water infrastructure each year in cities across the U.S. Read the AP story here.

The Arkansas Natural Resources Commission has approved more than $42 million in financial assistance for six water and wastewater projects serving more than 22,000 Arkansans.

The projects receiving funding are:

• Helena West-Helena, Phillips County, will receive an emergency $100,000 loan from the Water Development Fund and an $11 million loan from the Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund. The current customer base for this project is 5,500.
• City of Mena, Polk County, will receive an $11.6 million loan from the Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund. The current customer base for this project is 5,558.
• City of Mountainburg, Crawford County, will receive a $7 million loan from the Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund. The current customer base for this project is 6,184.
• City of Mulberry, Crawford County, will receive a $7.5 million loan from the Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund. The current customer base for this project is 1,543.
• Tri County Regional Water Distribution District, Pope County, will receive a $5 million loan from the Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund. The current customer base for this project is 3,500.

The loans add to $53.1 million in federal funds for state water projects announced in February by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Almost half of the federal funds were awarded as grants or principal forgiveness loans.

Funding comes amid renewed concerns over the state’s aging water infrastructure, highlighted by the failure of Helena-West Helena’s water system for the second time in less than a year.

“The Department of Agriculture continues to work with communities across the state to address deficiencies in water and wastewater systems,” Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward said in a statement. “The action regarding Helena-West Helena continues to demonstrate the Governor’s ongoing effort to address a difficult situation and we are proud to partner with her.”