Arkansas Advances Major Water Infrastructure Plan Worth Nearly 154 Million Dollars

This week, the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission approved $153.9 million in loans and grants to support sewer and water systems across the state, marking one of the largest rounds of water infrastructure funding in recent years. The funding will provide critical upgrades for communities of all sizes, from major urban systems to small local utilities. Among the recipients are the Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority, which serves more than 200,000 residents, and the wastewater system in Blevins, serving just 150 people.

Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders emphasized that this investment demonstrates her administration’s commitment to strengthening Arkansas’ water and wastewater systems. The effort is backed by $2.7 billion in combined federal and state resources. According to Sanders, the funded projects will receive a total of $81.3 million in loans. Her office also noted that approximately $16.8 million in additional state funding will be provided through loans and grants, with another $1.1 million awarded through the Small, Underserved, and Disadvantaged Communities Grant Program. Many of the loans include principal forgiveness, meaning that most recipients will not have to repay the funds, ensuring maximum impact for Arkansas communities.

Clean Water Revolving Loan Fund Awards

Nearly $55 million in support comes from the Clean Water Revolving Loan Fund, a federal financing program that helps communities upgrade wastewater systems and improve drinking water infrastructure.

Blevins in Hempstead County received a $948,300 loan with principal forgiveness and an additional $316,100 loan to rehabilitate its sewer plant, a system that serves 150 customers.

Clarksville in Johnson County received two major loans, a $5,451,664.35 loan with principal forgiveness and a $30,892,764.65 loan to upgrade its pollution control facility for 7,663 customers. Clinton in Van Buren County received a $992,154.65 loan with principal forgiveness and a $1,659,255.35 loan to rehabilitate a sewage pump station serving 3,025 customers.

In Benton County, the Dawn Hill Country Club and Cynthiana Townhouses Property Owners Association received a $2,440,386 loan with principal forgiveness and a $813,462 loan for sanitary sewer upgrades serving 225 customers.

Dyess in Mississippi County received a $2,666,508.75 loan with principal forgiveness and a $888,836.25 loan for improvements to its wastewater collection system serving 110 customers. Etowah, also in Mississippi County, received a $338,000.25 loan with principal forgiveness and a $112,666.75 loan to upgrade its wastewater system for 254 customers.

Gould in Lincoln County received a $1,417,312.50 loan with principal forgiveness and a $472,437.50 loan for improvements to its wastewater treatment plant serving 300 customers. H2Ozarks in Benton County received a $250,000 loan with principal forgiveness to continue operating its septic tank remediation program, which serves 94,400 customers.

Hardy in Sharp County received a $1,003,651.50 loan with principal forgiveness and a $334,550.50 loan to improve its wastewater treatment facility for 458 customers. Highland, also in Sharp County, received a $1,938,640.50 loan with principal forgiveness and a $646,213.50 loan for wastewater treatment improvements serving 982 customers.

Hope in Hempstead County received a $521,830 loan with principal forgiveness to support a landfill remediation effort that benefits 5,000 customers. The Illinois River Watershed Partnership in Benton County received an $83,000 loan with principal forgiveness for its septic tank remediation work serving 94,400 customers.

Junction City in Union County received a $4,125,000 loan with principal forgiveness and a $1,375,000 loan to upgrade wastewater lines serving 280 customers.

The Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority received a $4,096,463.50 loan to advance six major projects. These include pump station improvements, a line assessment and sludge dewatering effort, upgrades to the Little Rock Port Pump Station, a diversion structure project at I 440 and Springer, repairs at FCWRF Headworks Gate and Concrete, and a side stream biosolids optimization project. The system serves 204,774 customers.

Mayflower in Faulkner County received an $11,544,000 loan to support a regionalization project with Conway Corporation serving 2,354 customers.

Mountain Pine in Garland County received a $5,544,750 loan with principal forgiveness and a $1,848,250 loan to rehabilitate its sewer system for 607 customers.

Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Awards

The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund awarded a total of $54,629,059 to systems across Arkansas.

Bentonville in Benton County received a $887,911 loan with principal forgiveness and a $8,733,449 loan to build a supply water transmission central loop for 94,400 customers. Bradley in Lafayette County received a $144,719 loan with principal forgiveness to replace water meters for 497 customers. Branch in Franklin County received a $192,225 loan with principal forgiveness to upgrade meters for 500 customers.

The Cross County Rural Water System Public Facilities Board received three loans with principal forgiveness totaling $5,299,037 to improve manganese removal, install an automatic transfer switch, replace meters, and upgrade tanks for 3,800 customers. Cushman in Independence County received a $435,800 loan with principal forgiveness for water system upgrades serving 1,400 customers. Elaine in Phillips County received a $4,088,990 loan with principal forgiveness for system improvements serving 473 customers.

Freedom Public Water Authority in Polk County received a $338,298 loan with principal forgiveness for a meter project serving 1,937 customers. Garfield in Benton County received a $7,500,000 loan with principal forgiveness to improve water mains for 618 customers. Hardy in Sharp County received a $778,865 loan with principal forgiveness to replace its metering system for 458 customers.

Highway 4 and 24 Water Association in Ouachita County received a $286,830 loan with principal forgiveness for water upgrades serving 800 customers. Horatio in Sevier County received a $426,811 loan with principal forgiveness for meter replacements serving 1,025 customers. Keiser in Mississippi County received a $652,685 loan for its Smart Meter Modernization Initiative serving 340 customers.

Leola in Grant County received a $370,395 loan with principal forgiveness for meter replacements serving 460 customers. Lincoln in Washington County received a $2,050,000 loan with principal forgiveness for meter upgrades serving 2,675 customers. The Little River Water Authority in Mississippi County received a $221,500 loan with principal forgiveness to install meters for 740 customers.

Magnolia in Columbia County received a $3,846,901 loan for meter replacements serving 11,477 customers. Mountain Top Public Water Authority in Cleburne County received a $1,800,000 loan with principal forgiveness for a meter project serving 9,607 customers. Mulberry in Crawford County received a $165,594 loan with principal forgiveness for a Smart Water Meter Modernization project serving 845 customers.

Pangburn in White County received a $1,358,018 loan with principal forgiveness for meter replacements serving 1,159 customers. Quitman in Cleburne County received a $3,996,820 loan with principal forgiveness for system improvements serving 1,630 customers. Sparkman in Dallas County received a $454,341 loan for meter replacements and a generator serving 1,325 customers.

Star City in Lincoln County received a $932,340 loan for water system upgrades serving 2,173 customers. Trumann in Poinsett County received a $5,300,000 loan with principal forgiveness to improve manganese removal filtration for 3,707 customers. Tumbling Shoals Water System Public Water Authority in Cleburne County received a $4,157,530 loan for pump station and piping improvements serving 6,525 customers.

Vanndale Birdeye Water Association in Cross County received a $210,000 loan with principal forgiveness to replace an induced draft aerator serving 2,389 customers. Washington Water Authority in Washington County received a $1,222,754 loan to support the Goose Creek project serving 8,285 customers.

State Program Awards

State programs awarded $16,842,175 for water and wastewater improvements across Arkansas.

Beebe in White County received a total of $3,248,774 in loans to support manhole rehabilitation and a detention basin project serving 8,437 customers. Gravette in Benton County received a $309,000 loan for meter upgrades serving 1,930 customers.

H2Ozarks in Washington County received a $64,700 grant to cover administrative costs for its septic tank remediation program, which serves 94,400 customers. Mansfield in Sebastian County received a $100,000 emergency loan for repairs at its wastewater treatment plant serving 1,139 customers. Norman in Sebastian County received a $12,360 loan for repairs at Huddleston Creek serving 300 customers.

The Saline County Wastewater and Sanitary Sewer Public Facilities Board received a $3,807,341 loan to improve its wastewater treatment plant for 2,563 customers. The Saline Regional Public Water Authority received a $7,745,730 loan to advance a wholesale water system that will use water from the Ouachita River and is projected to serve nearly 99,918 customers.

The Washington Water Authority in Washington County received a $1,554,270 loan for the Cove Creek waterline project serving 8,285 customers.

Small, Underserved, and Disadvantaged Communities Grants

A total of $1,120,000 was awarded through this program to support targeted improvements in smaller communities.

Bonanza in Bradley County received $140,000 for meter upgrades serving 90 customers. Dierks in Howard County received $195,400 for a generator project serving 575 customers. Hickory Ridge in Cross County received $242,000 for water filter improvements serving 3,800 customers.

Ozan Creek Rural Water Authority in Sebastian County received $97,711 for a creek crossing line repair serving 234 customers. Tuckerman in Jackson County received $294,889 for smart meter replacements serving 1,707 customers. Warren in Franklin County received $150,000 for a regionalization project with Corinth Valley serving 500 customers.

Governor Emphasizes Continued Investment in Arkansas Water

Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders is making Arkansas’ water infrastructure a top priority. In 2023, she signed Executive Order 23-27, launching a comprehensive review and update of the Arkansas Water Plan, which directs the state’s management of water resources, including supply, demand, and quality. The first phase of this statewide initiative was completed in August 2024, and officials report that the second phase is expected to conclude in summer 2026.

“Everywhere you look, Arkansas communities are expanding and placing greater demands on our infrastructure,” Sanders said. “That is why my administration is committed to supporting these latest projects, ensuring that water systems can keep up with growth so every Arkansan has clean water to drink and wastewater systems that function the way they should.”

The initiative is expected to bring substantial improvements to water systems across the state and marks a key achievement for the Sanders administration.