Some residents of a small Arkansas town lose water due to a major leak

Helena-West Helena, Arkansas – Mayor Christopher Franklin provided an update on the water problems in Helena-West Helena, stating that on January 23, a “major water leak” was found in a location close to the Highway 49 Bypass.

In the West Helena region, a little hamlet in Arkansas on the Mississippi border has been without water for almost a week.

According to Franklin, the significant leak was found as specialists were testing the valves to ascertain “whether the valves are working properly and more importantly to control the flow of water.”

To address the leak and other problems, the mayor stated that water pipes are being turned off in specific parts of the municipality. He claimed that the shut-off has left “about 40%” of individuals without access to water.

This is the most recent problem with the town’s dilapidated infrastructure, following West Helena’s summertime water shortage that lasted for almost a week. According to a mayor’s office official in September 2023, not much has changed at the treatment facility since it was constructed in 1964.

When feasible, local officials give out free water bottles, and the Arkansas National Guard has already been dispatched with a 2,000-gallon water tank.

It is anticipated that the water problems will last for a few weeks and may affect between 2,000 and 3,000 residents of the municipality.