Sanders Announces More Than $153 Million for Arkansas Water Projects
Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Thursday announced nearly $154 million in new financial assistance for water and wastewater improvements across Arkansas. The funding totaling $153,974,230—will support 52 projects serving more than 814,000 residents statewide.
Sanders said the investment reflects Arkansas’ ongoing growth and the increasing strain on local water infrastructure.
“Communities across Arkansas are expanding and demanding more from the systems they rely on every day,” Sanders said, adding that her administration has made upgrading water infrastructure a top priority. Since she took office, more than $2.7 billion in state and federal funds have been directed toward water projects in all 75 counties.
Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward emphasized that dependable water and wastewater systems are critical not only to public health but also to the state’s economic future.
The governor also highlighted progress on Executive Order 23-27, which launched a comprehensive update of the Arkansas Water Plan. The first phase of the review-conducted by the Arkansas Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers—was completed in August 2024.
The second phase is now underway and expected to conclude in the summer of 2026.
The Arkansas Natural Resources Commission approved the new round of funding, allocated through several programs:
Clean Water Revolving Loan Fund – $81,382,996
•Blevins, Hempstead County: $948,300 in principal-forgiveness loans and a $316,100 loan for a sewer plant rehabilitation project serving 150 customers.
• Hope, Hempstead County: $521,830 in principal-forgiveness loans for a landfill remediation project serving 5,000 customers.
Drinking Water State Revolving Fund -$54,629,059
• Bradley, Lafayette County: $144,719 in principal-forgiveness loans to replace water meters for 497 customers.
• Horatio, Sevier County: $426,811 in principal-forgiveness loans for water meter replacements serving 1,025 customers.
Small, Underserved, and Disadvantaged Communities Grant Program —
$1,120,000
•. Dierks, Howard County: A $195,400 grant to purchase a new generator for a system serving 575 customers.
A complete list of approved projects is available on the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s website.