BLYTHEVILLE, Ark. — The Mississippi County Infrastructure Grant Program awarded the City of Blytheville and the Town of Dell $200,000 each to make structural improvements throughout the community.
The City of Blytheville was awarded its share of the funds on June 9.
The Government of Mississippi County announced that the funds will be used to improve Blytheville’s sewer lines, distribution lines, and storage facilities— many of which are more than 100 years old.
The project will focus on North Byrum Road to improve critical infrastructure and prevent road collapse.
The City estimated over 5,000 city residences are affected by this major network vein and are at risk of losing service if repairs are not done.
Crews will replace 425 feet of 30-inch SDR 25/26 pipe bedding with at least six inches of gravel and also replace one manhole at the Byrum Road Lift Station.
This will prevent help groundwater and stormwater from entering their network through cracks, joints, or fractured pipes.
“On behalf of the city administration and the citizens of Blytheville, we are grateful for the county’s investment in our infrastructure. This grant award puts us one step closer to addressing the critical infrastructure of this great city,” Mayor Melisa Logan said.
The Town of Dell was awarded its share of the funds on June 12.
“We are proud to partner with the Town of Dell in continuing to provide its citizens with clean, safe water for years to come,” County Judge John Alan Nelson said.
This grant will help fund needed improvements on Dell’s water storage tank and make it current with all Arkansas Department of Health guidelines.
Both the interior and exterior of the tank will need to be abrasive blast cleaned and repainted. Additionally, the interior ladder and level indicator need to be repaired.
The funds will also be used to modify the overflow pipe, which does not meet current codes.
Lastly, a passive mixing system will be installed in the tank to help ensure that stagnant water is not released into the distribution system.
“We are proud to receive this grant and it will go a long way toward covering the cost of the repairs we need to do on our water system,” Mayor Danny Moody said.
The Mississippi County Infrastructure Grant Program was established in 2021, and each grant provides $200,000 for cities/towns within the county.
These grants will fund up to 75% of project costs, with 25% cost matched by the applicant municipality.
These funds can only be used for infrastructure projects pursuant to Arkansas Constitution, Article 12, Section 5 as incorporated into Article 12 by Amendment 97.