LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — On Friday, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders urged the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission to expedite an emergency $100,000 loan for the city of Helena-West Helena, which has been dealing with significant water issues since Jan. 23.
Helena-West Helena Mayor Christopher Franklin said a "major water leak" was discovered as experts were testing the valves, which helps to determine "whether the valves are working properly and more importantly to control the flow of water."
Additionally, Franklin said nearly 40% of the town is without water due to waterlines being shut off in certain areas, specifically near the Highway 49 Bypass.
The $100,000 loan will refurbish two wells and replace the city's water system valves. According to the governor's office, it's the second loan to Helena-West Helena Sanders has supported to ensure the town recovers from the emergency and is more stable moving forward.
"My administration is prioritizing fixes to Helena-West Helena's water system to get residents the resources they need," Sanders said. "I've been in constant contact with Helena-West Helena's Mayor and deployed the Arkansas National Guard and other emergency responders to provide water and address the issue. Going forward, this loan is part of my administration's larger efforts to help the city refurbish its water system and prevent future system failures."
Sanders said she's met with Franklin, Sen. Reginald Murdock and other local and state leaders to discuss "potential long-term solutions to Helena-West Helena's water infrastructure issues."
Multiple state agencies, including the National Guard, are assisting the community with the water crisis.
Along with expediting the loan approval, Sanders ordered a comprehensive analysis and update of Arkansas’ water plan last summer to address issues arising in the past decade since the state last updated its water plan.
This isn't the first time that citizens in Helena-West Helena have gone an extended period of time without access to water either. In the Summer 2023, thousands in the city went nearly a week without water due to aging infrastructure in the area.
This problem of aging infrastructure is an issue that has continued to plague small towns in Arkansas, with outdated structures and staffing shortages being described as two of the biggest contributors to the crisis.
The city of Helena-West Helena said back in September 2023 that the West-Helena treatment plant had outdated valves and technology.
At the time, there were cracks on the water basin patched over, and the building itself was damaged.
The mayor’s chief of staff, James Valley, said back in September 2023 that they hadn't changed much at the plant up to that point since it was built in 1964.
James Valley with the city of Helena-West Helena explained that this could last more than two weeks and they estimate it will impact about 2,000-3,000 people in the area.