- (a) In the event that water or wastewater infrastructure improvements, hereinafter “infrastructure”, including those within an improvement district, are proposed to be constructed within the adopted territorial jurisdiction of a municipality under Arkansas Code § 14-56-413 or its designated utility service area, said municipality shall be provided notice of such a proposal prior to the commencement of any work, assessment, or indebtedness associated with same.
- (b) No infrastructure shall be connected to or serviced by a municipal utility unless and until same is expressly granted by the municipality, subject to the municipality’s connection and/or extension policy, if any.
(c)
(1) Any infrastructure improvements, including those within an improvement district, proposed to be constructed within the adopted territorial jurisdiction of a municipality under Arkansas Code § 14-56-413 or its designated utility service area, regardless of whether same is to be connected to or serviced by a municipal utility, must be built:
- (A) According to the standard utility construction specifications, if existing, of that municipality; and
- (B) In compliance with the piping sizes required by the municipal utility.
- (2) The municipal utility shall be granted access during all phases of construction in order to inspect and verify substantial compliance with its construction standards, specifications, and pipe size requirements during and following construction of the infrastructure improvements.
(3) For the purpose of this part, "substantial compliance" means:
- (A) There are no identified deficiencies with the system; or
- (B) That any identified deficiencies are minor and do not bring into question the functionality of the system.
- (4) Lack of timely response from the municipal utility to inquiries concerning its requirements shall be considered to be acceptance of the improvements as proposed.
- (5) For purposes of this part, “timely response” means one made within thirty (30) days of an inquiry.