LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced that Arkansas is providing $60 million to address water infrastructure needs across the state.
This federal funding includes $55 million to address water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure projects and $5 million for the Arkansas Rural Water Association to assist water and wastewater systems across the state.
“My administration has worked with our federal partners to appropriately put money into Arkansas’ water infrastructure development, and this announcement adds to that commitment,” said Governor Sanders. “Every Arkansan deserves safe and accessible drinking water, and with this funding, we will move closer to that goal.”
The funds build on existing efforts by Gov. Sanders to improve water and wastewater infrastructure throughout the state and provide Arkansans with dependable services.
“Water and wastewater infrastructure systems are critically important to the everyday lives of all Arkansans,” said Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward. “We appreciate Governor Sanders’ consistent leadership on water issues and will work diligently to utilize these newly approved funds, as well as our existing programs and efforts, to meet water and wastewater needs across the state.”
To qualify for the funding, water and wastewater projects must be on the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) waitlist approved by the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission (ANRC) in December 2022.
Projects will receive funding based on their readiness to proceed to construction and must expense all funds by December 31, 2026.
In addition to today’s announcement, Gov. Sanders has launched an analysis and review of Arkansas’s State Water Plan.
