After three years of public hearings and planning, a $4.5 million project to upgrade Glenwood’s sewer system will begin in April. During Tuesday’s City Council meeting, the project got final approval with the signing of paperwork for bonds. 

After a bidding process, a contractor was selected to replace old clay pipes that are susceptible to corrosion, leaks and infiltration, along with the replacement of truss pipes that are failing and also causing infiltration. Existing PVC pipes will remain. Mayor Billy Plyler said infiltration, which is when groundwater seeps into the sewage system causing a higher volume of water that must be treated, is “terrible” at the city’s sewer plant.

The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality has been warning the city it needed to fix the problem. During a 2023 special election to reallocate funds from Glenwood’s sales tax, the city said if the issue wasn’t resolved, it would have led to a 7.5% sewer rate increase over five years.

The city is also moving forward on a $3.5 million project to expand its water plant. Plyler says he met with an architect on March 12 for a final walkthrough at the plant before opening the project for bids. 

A plan has been submitted to the Arkansas Department of Health. “We’re at their mercy — don’t know when that’ll be approved,” Plyler said. The department has been telling the city the expansion is needed.

Both projects will be completed without any rate increases, he said. The city applied for and received loans for the projects from the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission, some of which are eligible for loan forgiveness.