A recent decision by Senator John Boozman has left the town of Helena-West Helena without much-needed funding to fix their aging and leak-prone water system. In August 2024, Boozman had secured $4.5 million in congressional funds for the repairs, but a vote in March for a six-month funding bill resulted in a cut to the town’s water system budget. This comes after recent water problems in Helena-West Helena, including a well pump failure in January and another failure in September that left half the city without drinking water. The loss of the funds was said to be disappointing by John Edwards, the economic development director in Helena-West Helena, as the federal funds were only 6% of what was needed to fix the system. However, Boozman’s staff assured that he remains aware of the funding needs for the critical projects and will continue working with local leaders to address them. The denial of the $4.5 million in funds has left residents and officials in Helena-West Helena concerned about the future of their water system and how they will be able to address the ongoing issues and repairs. The full report from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette provides more details on the situation.
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