Rural water planners encourage pursuing funding for phase two
Posted on Thursday, October 2, 2008
Procuring funding now for land acquisition and design could save time and money before the state and federal funding is available to construct phase two of the southeast water project, said Tim Mays, engineer and secretary-treasurer for Engineering Services Inc. of Springdale.
That firm is working with the county to try to obtain funding from the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission Community Development Block Grant program and the U. S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development programs for construction of the second phase, estimated to cost $ 12. 5 million.
The second phase would extend water service to about 300 customers. That number could rise to 450 based on preliminary surveys.
Mays on Thursday during the Washington County Rural Development Authority meeting talked about those efforts, as well as efforts to obtain about $ 300, 000 now from the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission for land acquisition and engineering. The $ 300, 000 is part of the estimated $ 12. 5 million project cost.
Authority board member Benny Stout asked Blankenship when the county will know about obtaining this funding.
Blankenship said an answer may be forthcoming in the next month.
If the funding is not obtained, Mays said," We regroup and try again."
"You don't ever quit," Blankenship said.
Whether the entire phase two will be funded is still a question, too, but Blankenship said officials are trying their best to keep pushing for it and see what happens.
Meanwhile, the first phase of the southeast water project is nearing completion, with the main work to be done being cleanup and testing of a few lines for approval by the Arkansas Department of Health, said Mel Milholland, project engineer for this phase.
The total cost of the project (construction and engineering ) is about $ 9. 4 million, which includes funding for Devil's Den State Park improvements funded by the state park system. Most of the project is funded by state and federal grants and loans.
This first phase will provide about 300 residents with available water.
There have been two key change orders in this phase. One is the extension of a line from the Jones Branch Road line near Winslow. This line will extend about 6, 000 feet on the east side of U. S. 71, beyond the bounds of the first phase. It is being financed with the project's leftover funds.
There is also a change order involving Starr-Hickman Investments paying for a waterline on its property. The bill for the 4, 000 feet of 3-inch line is $ 80, 000. It will extend across the former Tyson Hog Farm.
FEEDBACK:
Something to say about this topic? Submit a Letter to the Editor online