Notice is hereby given that the Arkansas Department of Agriculture is amending the Water Authorities rules, 4 CAR Pt. 1. Act 736 amended the Water Authority Act, codified at Arkansas Code §§ 4–35–101 to 4–35–306, to allow a qualified corporation involved in the sale, transmission, and distribution of potable water to the public to form or convert its entity status to a water authority. The act also amended Arkansas Code § 4-35-103(7) to expand the definition of “qualified corporation” to include various governmental, municipal, and private entities, and amended Arkansas Code §§ 4-35-202(a) and 4-35-203 to address the formation of or conversion to a water authority. Act 239 amended Arkansas Code § 4-35-204 to require the board of directors of a public water authority to post the directors’ contact information on the public facing websites of the public water authority and the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission. The Arkansas Department of Agriculture amends the Water Authorities rules, 4 CAR Pt. 1, to incorporate the new definition of “qualified corporation,” revise the formation of or conversion to a water authority, and address the contact information requirement for a water authority’s board of directors.
A complete copy of the proposed rule amendments is available at https://agriculture.arkansas.gov/resources/public-information/rules/
Interested parties may submit comments to the proposed rule amendments until August 18, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Public comments will be accepted by email to [email protected] or by mail to Arkansas Department of Agriculture, Attn: Matthew M. Ford, 1 Natural Resources Drive, Little Rock, AR 72205. Please identify which Rule that you seek to provide comments. Oral and written comments received during the public comment period will be made part of the record.