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Bentonville officials to consider steep water-rate increases after consultants flag $10.4M shortfall and widespread leaks
Summary
City consultants and staff told the City Council that Bentonville faces large near-term costs to find and fix water leaks and to fund a $230 million 10-year capital plan; staff were directed to return two rate scenarios and supporting documents within weeks.
Bentonville City Council members spent more than two hours on a deep-dive of the city’s water finances, hearing from outside consultants and city staff that addressing high “non‑revenue” water (lost or unbilled water) and funding a newly updated master plan would require substantial revenue increases.
Consultants from Raftellus and city utility staff told the council that current budgeted revenues leave the utility about $10.4 million short of covering 2025 operating costs plus the additional work needed this year to continue leak‑finding contracts. Staff said an additional $6 million of IDIQ (indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity) work is needed in 2025 to keep contractors identifying and repairing leaks through the remainder of the calendar year; the existing IDIQ funding will cover only a few more weeks.
The…
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