Bentonville and Fayetteville qualify for a total of $182.8 million in loans for drinking water and wastewater treatment projects, according to a state Department of Agriculture announcement.
Whether the cities accept the state loan options is something for their city councils to decide, spokesmen for the two cities say.
Bentonville received approval for a $97.7 million loan from the state's Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund, the Department of Agriculture announced Friday. The Arkansas Natural Resources Commission administers the fund.
If accepted, the loan would go to expand and improve Bentonville's Downtown Water Resource Recovery Facility, said Debbie Griffin, the city's director of administration. The city government is evaluating all available financing options and rates that are in the city's best interest, she said Monday.
Bentonville has been working on expansion plans for the plant for the past several years and wanted to apply for the Natural Resources Commission loan to take advantage of current interest rates, Griffin said.
Fayetteville received approval for an $85 million loan from the state's Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, which is also overseen by the Natural Resources Commission and mainly goes toward public drinking water system construction projects. If the Fayetteville council applies for the loan, the money would go for a new 48-inch-wide water line connecting the city to a new pump station being built by the Beaver Water District, said Tim Nyander, city utilities director.
The state also announced approval of a loan from the Clean Water fund to Highfill for $2,721,750.