The Arkansas Natural Resources Commission awarded up to $43 million in loans to water and wastewater utilities last week.
The eight utilities are upgrading or expanding their services.
Utilities apply for Natural Resources Division loans often because of the lower interest rates compared with private loans. They're not required to accept the loans, and some turn them down because they've secured other funding or backed off of their projects.
The biggest loan is up to $30.1 million to Siloam Springs to improve its water treatment facility for its 7,492 customers. City voters approved the project by extending a sales tax.
Central Arkansas Water's loan of up to $6 million is for connecting the Paron-Owensville Water Association to its distribution system, serving 940 people.
Cave Springs' loan of up to $4.2 million is for connecting to the Northwest Arkansas Conservation Authority's sewer treatment system.
Other loans less than $1 million went to Bono, Huntsville, Palestine, the Jefferson Samples Dexter Water Users Association and the Tri-County Regional Water Distribution District.
NW News on 01/20/2020