HELENA-WEST HELENA, Ark. — In the latest update for Helena-West Helena's water issues, Mayor Christopher Franklin said a "major water leak" was discovered on Jan. 23 in an area near the Highway 49 Bypass.
The small Arkansas town near the border of Mississippi has been dealing with no water for nearly a week in the West Helena area.
Franklin said the major leak was discovered as experts were conducting a test of the valves, which helps to determine "whether the valves are working properly and more importantly to control the flow of water."
The mayor said that water lines are shut off in certain areas of town as they work to fix the leak and other issues. He said that "about 40%" of people are without water due to the shut off.
This is the latest issue with the town's aging infrastructure after last summer when West Helena went nearly a week without access to running water. In Sept. 2023, an official with the mayor's office that the treatment plant hasn't changed much since it was built in 1964.
Officials in the town are providing free water bottles whenever possible and the Arkansas National Guard has been sent previously with a 2,000 gallon water tank. Soldiers have provided over 5,700 gallons of water to residents since Jan. 18, but the support is "projected" to end on Jan. 25.
The water issues is expected to last a couple weeks and could impact around 2,000 to 3,000 people in the town.