Fort Smith board reviews multi-million dollar water service plans

The Fort Smith Board of Directors got a glimpse Tuesday (April 27) of easily more than $50 million in water system improvements likely to be constructed and completed prior to 2020.

Steve Parke, director of utilities for the city of Fort Smith, updated the board during its study session on the master plan projections for the Lake Fort Smith main transmission line and the master plan for sewer service in Fort Smith’s southern growth area and in Chaffee Crossing.

As to the sewer service, Parke outlined pump stations and a revised plan to ensure adequate sewer service to the developing portions of Chaffee Crossing and the emerging residential growth south of Fort Smith. The plans changed slightly after the cancellation of two developments just south of the Golden Living corporate headquarters. The change pushed efforts east to residential and potential commercial growth closer to U.S. 71 and the planned Interstate 49 route.

The water issue focused on installing 35,000 feet (about 6.6 miles) of a 48-inch main line south from treatment facilities near Lake Fort Smith (north of Mountainburg). The 48-inch line is the first step in allowing for transmission lines to handle the 40 million gallons a day capacity the treatment plant will eventually provide. That line is expected to be in service by 2012, and carries and estimated cost of $15 million.

The second project calls for upgrades of the line from the end of the 48-inch extension into the area north of Van Buren. To avoid the cost and time of renewing environmental clearances, Parke said construction on this section needs to begin no later than 2015. The line expansion, estimated to cost $25 million, is necessary to handle the estimated 2020 water load.

While not an immediate project, Parke stressed to board members the importance of a third transmission line that would run south of Van Buren and cross under the Arkansas River near the Trimble Lock and Dam north of Barling and then head west into south Fort Smith.

As it stands now, most of the southern and eastern part of Fort Smith is served by one main transmission line. While that line has two river crossings between Van Buren and Fort Smith, the city is largely “hanging on one connection,” Parke told the board.

A problem with the main line could find several areas of south and east Fort Smith without water for days, Parke said in an interview after the board study session. He said the water shortage would hit many of the city’s largest employers and residential areas.

“It (the third transmission line) needs to be on the forefront … because you don’t want to have that kind of problem with those important residential and commercial areas,” Parke said.

Parke said his department does not yet have a cost estimate or time frame for a third line.