HSV Takes Giant Step Forward Securing Emergency Water

We don’t like to think about it, but a disaster can happen anywhere and at any time. While we can’t anticipate disasters, it is comforting to realize that safeguards are being implemented to guard against possible repercussions from not having a backup water supply in an emergency. Public Services Director Ken Unger is doing just that regarding emergency water supplies and water connectivity rights. At the December 12, 2024, Public Services Meeting, Unger updated the committee members and community on his advancements in planning and securing emergency water options. This subject was mentioned here in a previous HSV Gazette article.

Previously Reported:

… Unger’s plans to interconnect with North Garland County Water District to obtain an emergency water supply for the Village. This plan is not as straightforward as it sounds, as it is a multi-faceted deal involving North Garland County Water District and Hot Springs Water. The first step involves eliminating a water connection contract that is a liability to the Village but could benefit Hot Springs.

Unger expressed, ‘What I am going to do is work a three-way agreement with North Garland County Water and Hot Springs.’

Transferring a contract to someone who can use it

Unger shared, ‘We’re probably going to allow Hot Springs to acquire our rights to Lake Ouachita. I am in the final stages of that right now, and it will probably culminate in the December 9th meeting with the MAWA (Mid Arkansas Water Alliance} Board.’

Unger hopes Hot Springs will take the balance of that liability off of us. ‘This liability is between $800,000 and $900,000 over the next twenty years. They have access to the water.’ We don’t. (This contract was initiated by a previous Public Services Director.) Unger said, ‘Having water rights is a good thing. It is important. It is an asset, but like any asset, it only has value if you can use it. There are limited people [entities] that can use that [connectivity] resource, and one of them is Hot Springs.’

Latest Update

Unger attended the annual MAWA meeting on Monday, December 9, 2024. The MAWA Board voted to approve an agreement to transfer the water rights connectivity established under the previous regime. Unger said this arrangement should be executed before the end of the year.

In exchange for the transfer of water rights, Hot Spring Village will receive a lump sum payment of $42,000. Hot Springs will also assume the balance of the contract payments of around $800,000 to $900,000. We will also get an interconnect agreement with North Garland County to ensure an emergency water supply. North Garland County will agree to give us its best wholesale rate for up to two million gallons a day of processed water. This processed water will come from Hot Springs to North Garland County and then to us. We will be charged no higher than North Garland County’s highest wholesale rate for any water usage over two million gallons.

Unger said the interconnection will be at the closest reasonably agreed-upon location. “We want regional interconnects. It is good for everybody in case something happens.” This connection will probably occur out of the West Gate due to the Village topography. The west side has a higher elevation than the east side.

Unger said there exists an emergency interconnect agreement out of the east side to supply emergency water to Paron, and he would like to see this agreement developed into a two-way interconnect to serve as a secondary processed emergency water source in case of emergency. Central Arkansas Water took over Paron Water Works.

Unprocessed Emergency Water Supply

Unger is also exploring using wells in the village as an emergency water supply. These wells are already here and uncapped. A yield test will need to occur.

Another alternative is to put an emergency plan into place to have the ability to tap Lake Cortez for an emergency water supply. This would be a viable option due to the proximity to the water plant and the fact that this lake is fed by an artesian well.

Cooperation Between Village Developer and Hot Springs Village

The Village Developer, Cooper Communities, Incorporated (CCI), has given the POA additional property that helps to protect our water rights. With an easement around the Village, CCI controls our ability to exit the Village with water lines.

Unger feels that our relationship with CCI is better than it has been in the past, and if appropriately explained, CCI will loosen up on our ability to cross over their easement. “We need to let them know we are doing this for the right reasons, which I think we are. We want to do this to protect our ability to access water in a disaster.”

Tremendous Accomplishment

Public Services Committee Member Drew Kahle wants the community to understand the tremendous accomplishment and importance of the agreement Unger was able to execute. Kahle enthused, “This water rights negotiation and agreement is probably the highlight of Public Services [accomplishments] for the year. We are obtaining an insurance policy in case of a major malfunction with our water treatment plant, so we have a place to obtain treated water. This is a life jacket that we needed, and such a win-win situation. This is the giant step forward for emergency-treated water we badly need. Without it, we could be crippled.”

By Cheryl Dowden