Regional wastewater study presents multiple options for Centerton; consultant to return with costed choices in April

Aaron Benson of Hawkins Wear Engineers told the Centerton City Council that a state-funded study covering Washington, Benton and Madison counties is evaluating short- and long-term wastewater solutions for the region and for Centerton specifically. Benson said short-term relief options include facilitating temporary connections to Decatur or Bentonville while the study evaluates longer-term alternatives.

Benson outlined several long-term possibilities: continue sending flow to Decatur, connect to the Naka treatment facility (noting past concerns about connection fees), build a local Centerton treatment facility, or pursue a regional plant that would serve multiple communities. “One of the nice things that your community has going for you right now is you have options,” Benson said, adding that the study team will return with cost estimates and comparative analysis in April.

Council members and the mayor pressed for clarity on capacity, connection fees and whether options like Naka might become more viable; Benson said some constraints and costs (for example, connection fees into Naka) are under discussion and that state involvement may improve options and potential funding. He urged the council to withhold long-term action until the study's formal findings are presented, and city leaders said they would delay final long-term decisions until that briefing.

The presentation framed the wastewater problem as a regional infrastructure issue with multiple technical and funding solutions; detailed cost numbers and feasibility comparisons will be provided in the study's next deliverable.