Bald Knob, AR: Sewer Rehabilitation
February 2023 - Present
City of Bald Knob City Hall
Community Description
The City of Bald Knob AR has a current population of 2,533 and serves 1,111 connections on a gravity flow sewer system, with treatment at the Bald Knob Wastewater Treatment Plant. Bald Knob is located in White County, approximately 60 miles northeast of Little Rock. The median household income is approximately $41,023, and nearly 18% of the population lives below the federal poverty line.
Project Scope
In 2023, the Arkansas Municipal League referred the City to EPIC as they were facing extensive challenges with sewer system infiltration and inflow (I&I). EPIC supported the City in procuring engineering services, resulting in a Sewer System Evaluation Study (SSES) and complete design plans for the repair and rehabilitation of the sewer collection system. EPIC provided project management supervision and administrative support in applying for project funding.
Background and Services Provided
In April 2022, the Arkansas Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ) requested that the City submit a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) to address violations of their effluent discharge limitations. The CAP milestone tasks included an SSES and a sewer system rehabilitation plan. DEQ stipulated that the SSES include additional smoke testing and televising of the collection system, development of a plan to address deficiencies, recommendation of a method of repair, and development of a cost estimate for the recommended repairs.
During heavy precipitation events, the WWTP has unusually high flows, which are far greater than the peak hydraulic design flow. The original CAP notes that seasonal monitoring found that effluent violations were not correlated with the high I/I or near-capacity flows of the plant. However, this conclusion does not minimize the importance of reducing I/I in the wastewater collection system. Accordingly, the CAP milestone tasks included steps to address reduction of I/I. EPIC contractedArkansas Rural Water Association (ARWA) for $17,120 to provide sewer cleaning services and televising of the collection system. EPIC procured the services of McClelland Consulting Engineers (MCE) for a total of $31,500 to prepare the SSES, cost estimates, and complete design documentation for the recommended project.
Challenges and Opportunities
| Type of Challenge | Project Experience | Outcomes and/or Opportunities |
|---|---|---|
| Governance | The 2022 CAP included stipulations that a SSES be completed along with rehabilitation plans and estimated costs to address ongoing I&I. Due to limited enforcement and focus on other aspects of the CAP, minimal progress had been made towards addressing the I&I. | Within months of beginning work, EPIC facilitated procurement of the sewer system cleaning and televising services, followed by procurement of engineering services to carry out the SSES and I&I repair plan. |
| Financial | Extensive procurement and contracting efforts were required to simply reach a pre-development project phase. Funding and managing these numerous steps was not feasible for the City, especially considering the additional investment that would be needed to actually carry out repairs. | EPIC’s provision of nearly $50,000 for pre-development activities reduced initial barriers to entry for pursuing the larger capital improvement project. |
Project Next Steps
In September 2025, using the deliverables provided by MCE, EPIC staff supported the City in applying for state and federal project funding. The City applied for a total of $884,185 in funding for the proposed project, which will include extensive cleaning, repair, and replacement of affected areas throughout the collection system. The multi-step application process included a pre-application, an application to be listed on the Project Priority List, and the funding application to the state agency. EPIC staff is continuing to support the City in additional steps required to finalize access to funding, including environmental review and financial preparation.
System rehabilitation will extend the functional life of the collection system and will allow the City to remain in compliance with their NPDES permit. Investing in corrective and preventative measures will forestall the need for a much larger and potentially unplanned investment to address the repercussions of deferred maintenance.