FORT SMITH/CHARLESTON - A year after they first approached the City of Fort Smith , the Franklin Sebastian Water Authority is ready to move ahead with a proposed project. Their agreement with the city will affect water supply to several thousand residents in two different towns and another rural water district.
"We're at the point of the process where we have to have a signed water purchase agreement from the City of Fort Smith," Ron Smith told 5NEWS.
That's why reps from the Franklin Sebastian Water Authority appeared before the board of directors at Tuesday's study session. They told the city that they are ready to sign on the dotted line. Plans are in place for them to begin laying 18 or 24 inch pipe before a federal deadline.
"We have to have the project under construction by February 7th or we will not receive any of the stimulus package grants," Smith explained.
The Franklin Sebastian Water Authority has been awarded 12 million dollars in funding from the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission. Half of that is stimulus money they don't have to pay back. The other half consists of two 3 million dollar loans. Smith estimates that there will be between five and six thousand residential users. Arkansas' second largest city already serves 13 other water districts. The question was raised, could Fort Smith support anymore; a study shows yes. Fort Smith's water supply is expected to have 14 percent excess capacity in the year 2060.
With an abundant source of h2o, city leaders are looking to help others who work and shop in Fort Smith. Director Andre Good says he's supported the project since it was first proposed a year ago. He's happy to see that Fort Smith has an excess supply.
"We can share with our neighbors our water and also make a small profit," Director Good said.
Lavaca already purchases water from Fort Smith, while Charleston and River South users have other supplies. But this agreement will allow them to purchase a secondary supplement from Fort Smith during peak demand, including the summer time when water tends to dry up.
Ron Smith says their estimated consumption would be less than one tenth of a percent of Fort Smith's daily production. The Franklin Sebastian Water Authority hopes to have a signed agreement with the City of Fort Smith and the project out to bid by the first of next month.
"We're at the point of the process where we have to have a signed water purchase agreement from the City of Fort Smith," Ron Smith told 5NEWS.
That's why reps from the Franklin Sebastian Water Authority appeared before the board of directors at Tuesday's study session. They told the city that they are ready to sign on the dotted line. Plans are in place for them to begin laying 18 or 24 inch pipe before a federal deadline.
"We have to have the project under construction by February 7th or we will not receive any of the stimulus package grants," Smith explained.
The Franklin Sebastian Water Authority has been awarded 12 million dollars in funding from the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission. Half of that is stimulus money they don't have to pay back. The other half consists of two 3 million dollar loans. Smith estimates that there will be between five and six thousand residential users. Arkansas' second largest city already serves 13 other water districts. The question was raised, could Fort Smith support anymore; a study shows yes. Fort Smith's water supply is expected to have 14 percent excess capacity in the year 2060.
With an abundant source of h2o, city leaders are looking to help others who work and shop in Fort Smith. Director Andre Good says he's supported the project since it was first proposed a year ago. He's happy to see that Fort Smith has an excess supply.
"We can share with our neighbors our water and also make a small profit," Director Good said.
Lavaca already purchases water from Fort Smith, while Charleston and River South users have other supplies. But this agreement will allow them to purchase a secondary supplement from Fort Smith during peak demand, including the summer time when water tends to dry up.
Ron Smith says their estimated consumption would be less than one tenth of a percent of Fort Smith's daily production. The Franklin Sebastian Water Authority hopes to have a signed agreement with the City of Fort Smith and the project out to bid by the first of next month.
