Govenor Sanders plans to revise the statewide water plan

The Arkansas Agriculture Department has concluded a series of public hearings to update the statewide water plan, which has not been revised in a decade.

This year’s water plan will, for the first time, incorporate strategies to prepare for and minimize flood damage.

Following an executive order last year, the governor instructed the department to revise the statewide water plan, considering population growth and its impact on local water systems. The objective is to secure a sustainable supply of clean drinking water and to meet the needs of agriculture and industry.

The updated water plan will address the challenge of aging infrastructure across Arkansas, regardless of population density.

State officials are collaborating with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, experts in flood management, navigation, and irrigation.

The plan extends beyond surface water usage in rivers, streams, and lakes, encompassing groundwater extracted through wells, which represents 71 percent of Arkansas’s water consumption. The Senate and House Committees on City, County, and Local Affairs have been briefed on the progress of the new water plan.

Groundwater demand is primarily driven by crop irrigation, accounting for 80 percent, with municipal drinking water comprising 3.5 percent. The remainder is utilized by manufacturing and power generation.

Over the past decade, Arkansas farmers have installed over 9,700 wells, while livestock and poultry producers added 1,055 wells. Homeowners drilled more than 6,400 wells, with 58 wells established for public water systems and 104 by commercial ventures.

Arkansas maintains enforceable multi-state agreements with its neighbors regarding river and waterway usage. An example is the compact with Oklahoma, ensuring the Arkansas River’s water quality.

Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas have formed a compact to safeguard the Red River before it enters Louisiana. Constructing systems for clean water delivery and safe wastewater processing is expensive and time-consuming. Act 605 of 2021 addresses this by mandating water systems to conduct rate studies for future needs, ensuring water bills cover necessary and anticipated long-term repairs. The act also requires eight hours of training for all board members overseeing water systems, equipping them with the knowledge to manage a utility effectively.

Additionally, the act stipulates that state authorities must be alerted if a water system is financially distressed, prompting state-recommended solutions for solvency. Despite Arkansas’ plentiful water resources, setting water usage priorities remains a politically sensitive issue due to its impact on public health and livelihoods.