State, local leaders discuss funding options for Helena-West Helena's water repairs

HELENA-WEST HELENA, Ark. (KATV) — State and local leaders met Tuesday to discuss the future of the City of Helena-West Helena’s water infrastructure and what funding options are available to make the necessary repairs to ensure the future of the city’s water supply.

Just in the past year there have been two incidents that has stopped the water supply, leaving residents without water for days.

WATER CRISIS IN HELENA-WEST HELENA CONTINUES TO DRAG ON, IMPACTING RESIDENTS AND ECONOMY

Saad Rose, Superintendent of Helena-West Helena Municipal Water Dept., said the is due to aging infrastructure.

Currently, the water system is running about 850 gallons of water per minute but he said that needs to be around 3,300 gallons per minute.

"We are all working on this together to provide drinking water and running wastewater," said Saad. "Getting us to where we need to be, my job is to provide the information to execute and get things done but I need funds to get things done.”

Mayor Christopher Franklin said with the past incidents, the need to get plans started to repair the system was crucial.

“This is a greater issue," said Franklin. "This is not one of those things that you can say, ‘let me put a band-aid on it’. We are bleeding out. That is why they are here to look at this big picture with us. I can tell you one thing but seeing it is another.”

Representatives from state agencies laid out potential funding options to get this process started but first the city needs a detailed plan of what needs to be fixed.

"Get real about how long each of these priorities are going to take and what order they should come," said Kemp Morgan, Chief Program Officer for Delta Regional Authority. "That will help build future applications.”

Chris Colclasure, Director of Natural Resource Division with the Arkansas Department of Agriculture, said they have been looking closely at what programs the city would be able to utilize.

WEST HELENA WATER CRISIS RECOVERY PROGRESSES, BUT LONG-TERM INFRASTRUCTURE OVERHAUL NEEDED

One of their programs require that 3% of the median household income go to water and wastewater expenses which will mean taking a look at where the city is now and if they might have to raise rates.

"They have not raised their rates but the cost of infrastructure has gone up," said Colclasure. "Some communities have lost population like Philips county. You all have lost 23% of your population over the last 10 years, you have less people now. It makes it a really difficult spot to maintain your system.”

Rose said the conversations bring hope that they have help to resolve the issues continuing to plague the city’s water source.

"The idea is to pursue every individual issue immediately and provide the information of what we need," said Rose.

Rose said these changes will take several years but the city said they are at a pivotal point with the failing infrastructure and need to take these steps now to provide residents with a reliable source of water.

Colclasure said a plan will need to be put together by the city detailing exactly what the water and wastewater system need so that state agencies can provide better assistance going forward.