Title 14, Local Government

(a) The operating authority of any municipally owned waterworks system which maintains adequate controls against pollution shall have the authority to permit recreational activities upon the lands and waters owned by the municipality for waterworks purposes, to construct recreati…

(a) The operating authority may lease portions of its property for recreational purposes upon such terms as it deems advisable and may permit the lessee to construct upon the leased premises such recreational and merchandising facilities as the operating authority thinks proper. …

(a) Any employee of the operating authority may be designated as a warden. (b) Wardens shall have the authority to arrest or apprehend any person whom they believe to have violated this subchapter, or the boating laws of this state, or the rules and regulations of the operating a…

No municipality or operating authority permitting any activities authorized by this subchapter shall be liable for the torts of its servants, agents, or employees committed while acting within the scope of their employment in carrying out the duties assigned to them in connection…

All fees, rentals, or other income of any type derived by the operating authority as a result of the acts authorized in this subchapter may be treated as recreational income rather than as water revenues and may be used to defray the cost of providing or maintaining recreational …

(1) As used in this subchapter:(1) “Mayor” means the mayor of municipalities having the mayor-council form of government and the presiding officer of municipalities having a commission or other form of government;(2) “Municipality” means a city of the first class, a city of the s…

(a) This subchapter shall be construed as cumulative authority for the purchase or construction of a waterworks system and shall not be construed to limit or repeal any existing law with reference thereto. (b) (1) This subchapter shall, without reference to any other statute, be …

(a) Any two (2) or more municipalities in the State of Arkansas may join in the purchase or construction of a waterworks system for each of the municipalities, execute the joint obligation of the several municipalities, and secure the payment thereof by a joint pledge of the net …

(a) Whenever the respective legislative bodies of two (2) or more municipalities shall determine to purchase or construct a waterworks system for the respective municipalities under the provisions of this subchapter, they shall cause an estimate to be made of the costs thereof an…

(a) The several ordinances authorized in the issuance of the revenue bonds may contain provisions for the acceleration of the maturities of all unmatured bonds in the event of default in the payment of any principal or interest maturing under the bond issue, upon failure to meet …

(a) After the passage of the ordinance, it shall be published one (1) time in a newspaper published in the municipality, or if there is no newspaper so published, then in a newspaper which has a bona fide general circulation within the municipality, with a notice to all persons c…

(a) Municipalities are authorized to construct waterworks systems or any integral part thereof either inside or outside the limits of the municipalities and inside and outside the limits of the county in which the municipalities are located. (b) (1) A municipality purchasing or c…

(a) Bonds provided for in this subchapter shall be issued in whatever amounts may be necessary to provide sufficient funds to pay the total costs of acquisition or construction of the several waterworks systems to be provided for the several municipalities joining in the undertak…

(a) Bonds issued under the provisions of this subchapter shall be payable solely from the total revenues derived from the waterworks systems of all of the municipalities joining in the undertaking. (b) The bonds shall not in any event constitute an indebtedness of the municipalit…

(a) No obligation shall, or may, be incurred by the several municipalities in the acquisition or construction of the waterworks systems contemplated under the provisions of this subchapter or in the condemnation of property in connection therewith, except those as shall be payabl…

(a) Any specified portion of the proceeds of an issue of bonds authorized under the provisions of this subchapter may be allocated by the respective legislative bodies to any particular project, or to new construction, as distinguished from the purchase of waterworks already cons…

Bonds issued under the provisions of this subchapter shall be exempt from all state, county, and municipal taxes, including income and inheritance taxes.

(a) Rates for water fixed precedent to the issuance of the bonds shall not be reduced until all of the bonds shall have been fully paid and shall, whenever necessary, be increased in an amount sufficient to provide for the payment of the bonds, both principal and interest, and to…

(a) Municipalities joining together to issue revenue bonds under the provisions of this subchapter shall designate a bank, which shall be a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, to act as a common depository for all of the municipalities to receive and hold on depo…

(a) (1) There shall be created a statutory mortgage lien upon the several waterworks systems acquired or constructed from the proceeds of bonds authorized to be issued.(2) The lien shall exist in favor of the holder of the bonds, and each of them, and to and in favor of the holde…

For the purpose of acquiring any waterworks system under the provisions of this subchapter, or for the purpose of acquiring any properties necessary therefor, each of the municipalities joining together under the provisions of this subchapter shall have the right of eminent domai…

(a) Municipalities desiring to avail themselves of the benefits of this subchapter and join together in the issuance of bonds as provided under the provisions of this subchapter, by proper ordinances, passed by all of the respective municipalities, may employ, under terms and for…

(1) As used in this subchapter:(1) “Water association” means any entity organized under the laws of the State of Arkansas, whether for profit or not for profit, that provides, distributes, transmits, treats, pumps, or stores raw or potable water for the benefit of members of the …

Any person who is delinquent on the payment for water, wastewater service, or sewer service provided by a water system may be held liable, at the discretion of a court of competent jurisdiction, for attorney's fees and costs incurred in the collection of the delinquency.

If a person who is delinquent on the payment of an undisputed bill for water service, wastewater service, or sewer service provided by a water system within this state moves into another area of this state and that person applies for or receives water from another water system, i…

No provision of this subchapter shall apply to a water system that is regulated by the Arkansas Public Service Commission as a public utility as provided in § 23-1-101(9).

(1) A public water system that is not otherwise regulated by a municipality or municipal improvement district may terminate water service to a water user when the water user:(1) Is more than twenty-five (25) days past the earliest due date shown on the face of the bill in making …

This subchapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Sewer Utility Collection Act”.

(1) As used in this subchapter:(1) “Corresponding water utility” means an individual or entity that owns or operates in this state equipment or facilities for diverting, developing, pumping, impounding, distributing, or furnishing water to or for the public for compensation; and(…

(a) (1) A sewer utility may request notification from a corresponding water utility of any change to customer information, including without limitation a change:(A) To a billing address; and(B) In service, including a new or additional connection or a disconnection.(2) A correspo…

(a) A corresponding water utility may enter into a written agreement with a sewer utility or other entity, including without limitation an entity responsible for trash collection, for the regular billing and collection of the bills of the sewer utility or other entity by the corr…

(a) The General Assembly finds that:(1) Oversight of providers in the state is primarily handled by the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission and the Department of Health;(2) The oversight of these providers is spread out and results in the inability of a single state entity to m…

(a) (1) For the purposes of this section, a provider is in fiscal distress if the provider:(A) Fails to obtain a rate study as required under this section;(B) Fails to implement a completed rate study required under this section; or(C) Has been found by the Arkansas Natural Resou…

(1) A provider shall:(1) Work with the Association of Arkansas Counties and the Arkansas Municipal League to develop training for leaders of the county or municipality;(2) Provide suitable compensation and incentives to encourage individuals to consider a career with the provider…

(a) (1) If a municipal provider is unable or unwilling to provide service to a nonresident property owner residing in the provider's service area, the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission may require the municipal provider to release the nonresident property owner to a willing p…

(a) Within one (1) year of election or appointment, a majority of the members of a provider board shall receive a minimum of eight (8) hours of provider training as promulgated by rule of the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission. (b) If a majority of the members of a provider bo…

The Arkansas Natural Resources Commission shall promulgate rules necessary to implement this subchapter.

(1) This subchapter does not apply to:(1) A water system regulated by the Arkansas Public Service Commission as a public utility under § 23-1-101;(2) A municipal utility system owned or operated by a municipality that provides electric service to retail customers in addition to w…