Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ's):
1. Must everyone connect to the proposed water system?
No. Connecting to the water system is your choice.
2. Will residents who choose not to be a part of the water system bear any cost?
No. If you have not signed up for water, you are not a member or customer of the water association. If you are not tied into the water system, no one can charge you for water you did not agree to buy.
3. How is the water system funded?
Federal and state loans and grants finance the initial cost of the water system. Grants are not repaid. Loans are repaid from water usage revenues. Revenues collected from the sale of water are also used for system operation and maintenance. The Federal loans and grants are through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development (USDA RD). The State grant is through the Arkansas Natural Resource Commission (ANRC).
4. Will my assessed property value increase due to the water system?
No. At a meeting last year the Marion County Assessor assured the audience their property values would not be affected by the water system.
5. What is the current cost to sign up to the water system?
For a residence, there is a $1250.00* tap fee, a $1,000.00 Depletion Fee, a
$100.00 membership Fee, a $100.00 refundable meter deposit, a $25.00
connection fee, and a $25.00 inspection fee for the user’s private service line
from the meter to the residence, all for a total cost of $2500.00.
* Please be aware that the Tap Fee may be more depending on the
cost to connect to the main water line.
see questions below for additional information.
6. What is the duration of the agreement to receive water?
When you sign up for water, you agree to pay the minimum monthly charge for not less than five years. However, if you then sell your property within the five year period, the agreement may be transferred to the new property owner. After this five year period, you can refuse future water delivery without any penalty.
7. What is the estimated monthly water bill?
The minimum monthly charge for users, whether or not water flows through the meter, is $42.00. This charge covers up to using 1,000 gallons per month. An average household of four people may use approximately 4,000 gallons per month, which means the total average monthly water bill would be about $56.00. Note this does not include state taxes.
8. When will the users begin receiving their water bills?
The minimum monthly charge for users begins on the date the water is made available, regardless of whether or not the user’s service line is installed.
That means, once the water meter is placed on your property, and water is at
the meter, you will start being charged the monthly fee, whether or not you have constructed your water line from the meter into your house.
9. Where will the water mains be installed?
The water mains are constructed generally parallel to the roads. Water meters are only installed for those users who have signed into the water system.
10. Who is responsible for connecting to the water system?
The user is responsible for installing, at user’s expense, a service line from the water meter to their residence. The user must also provide certain plumbing fittings, such as a pressure reducing valve, a cut-off valve, and a back-flow device in the user’s service line. The exact items necessary, the cost for these items and the service line will vary according to such things as length of the user’s service line and the Arkansas plumbing code. These costs are negotiated between the user and the user’s personal installation contractor.
11. Can I keep my well?
Yes. You can still use your well when you connect to the water system. However, the two water sources cannot use the same pipes or be tied together.
12. Will the local fire department benefit from the water system?
Flushing (not fire) hydrants are installed in the water main system for system maintenance. They are not designed for fighting fires directly, but can be used for refilling fire tanker trucks or fire pump trucks. Any individual may choose to pay the total installation cost for a flushing hydrant near their property, if one is not otherwise engineered for that location.
13. Can a water meter be installed on vacant property?
Government loan requires a foundation and floor must exist as a minimum in order to qualify for a water meter. We have been allowing customers to sign up for property that is currently undeveloped, with the understanding that by the time of water system construction, the Government minimum requirements will be met.
14. What about property easements?
Property easements for this project in both Baxter and Marion counties are not handled by the water association, but by the land owner.
15. What is the salary for the committee members?
The committee members are all volunteers. The only one who will be paid when the project is completed is the design engineer. Future committee members will also be volunteers, elected by the members of the water association.
16. Will a committee member financially benefit from the water system project?
No. Strict Federal and State conflict of interest regulations prohibit a committee member or relatives from having any financial interest in the project.
17. How is the project administrated?
In August 2014 an administration Board was elected by the members to
manage the water system. Each year certain members terms end and a new
member is elected to the board.
18. Who determines were the water meter is placed?
You can choose to have the meter placed anywhere along your property line, within the water system easement. The meter will be placed about 40 feet from the center-line of the roadway and about 10 to 15 feet on your property. We will place the meter anywhere you specify within these constraints, so long as the meter can be easily read.
You may also want to select where the meter is placed so that the connecting line you run from the meter to your house will avoid additional cost to you. That means things like running through septic fields, trees or long distances to your house, etc.
1. Must everyone connect to the proposed water system?
No. Connecting to the water system is your choice.
2. Will residents who choose not to be a part of the water system bear any cost?
No. If you have not signed up for water, you are not a member or customer of the water association. If you are not tied into the water system, no one can charge you for water you did not agree to buy.
3. How is the water system funded?
Federal and state loans and grants finance the initial cost of the water system. Grants are not repaid. Loans are repaid from water usage revenues. Revenues collected from the sale of water are also used for system operation and maintenance. The Federal loans and grants are through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development (USDA RD). The State grant is through the Arkansas Natural Resource Commission (ANRC).
4. Will my assessed property value increase due to the water system?
No. At a meeting last year the Marion County Assessor assured the audience their property values would not be affected by the water system.
5. What is the current cost to sign up to the water system?
For a residence, there is a $1250.00* tap fee, a $1,000.00 Depletion Fee, a
$100.00 membership Fee, a $100.00 refundable meter deposit, a $25.00
connection fee, and a $25.00 inspection fee for the user’s private service line
from the meter to the residence, all for a total cost of $2500.00.
* Please be aware that the Tap Fee may be more depending on the
cost to connect to the main water line.
see questions below for additional information.
6. What is the duration of the agreement to receive water?
When you sign up for water, you agree to pay the minimum monthly charge for not less than five years. However, if you then sell your property within the five year period, the agreement may be transferred to the new property owner. After this five year period, you can refuse future water delivery without any penalty.
7. What is the estimated monthly water bill?
The minimum monthly charge for users, whether or not water flows through the meter, is $42.00. This charge covers up to using 1,000 gallons per month. An average household of four people may use approximately 4,000 gallons per month, which means the total average monthly water bill would be about $56.00. Note this does not include state taxes.
8. When will the users begin receiving their water bills?
The minimum monthly charge for users begins on the date the water is made available, regardless of whether or not the user’s service line is installed.
That means, once the water meter is placed on your property, and water is at
the meter, you will start being charged the monthly fee, whether or not you have constructed your water line from the meter into your house.
9. Where will the water mains be installed?
The water mains are constructed generally parallel to the roads. Water meters are only installed for those users who have signed into the water system.
10. Who is responsible for connecting to the water system?
The user is responsible for installing, at user’s expense, a service line from the water meter to their residence. The user must also provide certain plumbing fittings, such as a pressure reducing valve, a cut-off valve, and a back-flow device in the user’s service line. The exact items necessary, the cost for these items and the service line will vary according to such things as length of the user’s service line and the Arkansas plumbing code. These costs are negotiated between the user and the user’s personal installation contractor.
11. Can I keep my well?
Yes. You can still use your well when you connect to the water system. However, the two water sources cannot use the same pipes or be tied together.
12. Will the local fire department benefit from the water system?
Flushing (not fire) hydrants are installed in the water main system for system maintenance. They are not designed for fighting fires directly, but can be used for refilling fire tanker trucks or fire pump trucks. Any individual may choose to pay the total installation cost for a flushing hydrant near their property, if one is not otherwise engineered for that location.
13. Can a water meter be installed on vacant property?
Government loan requires a foundation and floor must exist as a minimum in order to qualify for a water meter. We have been allowing customers to sign up for property that is currently undeveloped, with the understanding that by the time of water system construction, the Government minimum requirements will be met.
14. What about property easements?
Property easements for this project in both Baxter and Marion counties are not handled by the water association, but by the land owner.
15. What is the salary for the committee members?
The committee members are all volunteers. The only one who will be paid when the project is completed is the design engineer. Future committee members will also be volunteers, elected by the members of the water association.
16. Will a committee member financially benefit from the water system project?
No. Strict Federal and State conflict of interest regulations prohibit a committee member or relatives from having any financial interest in the project.
17. How is the project administrated?
In August 2014 an administration Board was elected by the members to
manage the water system. Each year certain members terms end and a new
member is elected to the board.
18. Who determines were the water meter is placed?
You can choose to have the meter placed anywhere along your property line, within the water system easement. The meter will be placed about 40 feet from the center-line of the roadway and about 10 to 15 feet on your property. We will place the meter anywhere you specify within these constraints, so long as the meter can be easily read.
You may also want to select where the meter is placed so that the connecting line you run from the meter to your house will avoid additional cost to you. That means things like running through septic fields, trees or long distances to your house, etc.
