Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders along with the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission approved over $79 million in assistance for 25 water and wastewater infrastructure projects around the state last week.

Governor Sanders said “The $79 million in assistance we’re announcing will help us improve water infrastructure for more than half a million Arkansans, keeping faucets, showers, and plumbing running all across our state.”

The more than $79 million of financial assistance consists mostly of low-interest state loans, about $5 million of it are federal grants.

The projects receiving funding approved May 15 are below:
• Arkansas City, Desha County, received a $400,000 grant from the Sewer Overflow and Storm Water Reuse Municipal Grant Program. The current customer base for this project is 205.
• Benton County received a $137,873 grant from the Sewer Overflow and Storm Water Reuse Municipal Grant Program. The current customer base for this project is 284,336.
• Calico Rock, Izard County, received a $50,000 grant from the Sewer Overflow and Storm Water Reuse Municipal Grant Program. The current customer base for this project is 507.
• Gentry, Benton County, received a $50,000 grant from the Sewer Overflow and Storm Water Reuse Municipal Grant Program. The current customer base for this project is 1,750.
• Highland, Sharp County, received a $69,500 grant from the Sewer Overflow and Storm Water Reuse Municipal Grant Program. The current customer base for this project is 615.
• Benton County, on behalf of the Illinois River Watershed Partnership, received a $400,000 grant from the Sewer Overflow and Storm Water Reuse Municipal Grant Program.
• Malvern Water Works, Hot Spring County, received a $400,000 grant from the Sewer Overflow and Storm Water Reuse Municipal Grant Program. The current customer base for this project is 10,867.
• Mount Ida, Montgomery County, received a $40,000 grant from the Sewer Overflow and Storm Water Reuse Municipal Grant Program. The current customer base for this project is 1,600.
• Watershed Conservation Resource Center, Washington County, received a $400,000 grant from the Sewer Overflow and Storm Water Reuse Municipal Grant Program contingent on finding an eligible sponsor entity. The current customer base for this project is 120,000.
• Calhoun County Water Association received a $2,301,647 loan from the Water Development Fund. The current customer base for this project is 733.
• Community Water System Public Water Authority, Cleburne County, received a $1,325,000 loan from the Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund. The current customer base for this project is 76,000.
• DeValls Bluff, Prairie County, received a $142,140 loan from the Water, Sewer, and Solid Waste Fund. The current customer base for this project is 305.
• Emerson, Columbia County, received a $1,175,388 loan from the Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund. The current customer base for this project is 451.
• Hardy Water Works, Sharp and Fulton counties, received an emergency $100,000 loan from the Water Development Fund. The current customer base for this project is 450.
• Haynes Water Works, Lee County, received an emergency $40,000 loan from the Water Development Fund. The current customer base for this project is 122.
• Hot Springs, Garland County, received a $1,912,500 loan and a $1,837,500 loan with principal forgiveness from the Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund. The current customer base for these projects is 38,114.
• Magnolia, Columbia County, received a $613,240 loan from the Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund. The current customer base for this project is 11,000.
• Phillips County Sewer Facilities Board received an emergency $100,000 loan from the Water Development Fund. The current customer base for this project is 735.
• Poyen, Grant County, received two loans in the amounts of $1,140,000 and $787,415 from the Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund and a $684,442 loan from the Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund. The current customer base for these projects is 361.
• Springdale, Benton and Washington counties, received a $50,000,000 loan from the Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund. The current customer base for this project is 38,250.
• Tull, Grant County, received a $316,422 loan from the Water, Sewer, and Solid Waste Fund. The current customer base for this project is 950.
• White River Regional Irrigation Water Distribution District, Prairie County, received a $15,000,000 loan from the Arkansas Water, Waste Disposal, and Abatement Facilities General Obligation Bond Fund.