NWAOnline’s Legislative Coverage

A bill to make it easier for cities to take over water systems in areas a city annexes was recommended by the Senate City, County and Local Affairs Committee on Tuesday despite opposition from Washington County Judge Marilyn Edwards, among others.

House Bill 1647 by Rep. Jon Woods, R-Springdale, would require water systems to enter negotiations with a city that annexed land served by that water system. Edwards and others oppose the bill because losing customers in a rural water system makes it less likely the system can afford to expand into hard-to-reach areas that are expensive to serve. For instance, the bill will make it harder to serve about 450 families in extreme southeastern Washington County who don’t have pipe-in water and who are having to haul water in, Edwards said. The bill has already passed the house and goes to the full Senate.