SHERWOOD WASTEWATER
How Did We Get Here?
Sherwood's wastewater problems didn't begin with the lawsuit filed by North Little Rock in 2026. The questions surrounding the condition, capacity and structure of Sherwood's wastewater system have been studied for nearly two decades.
2009 | The Problems Were Already Being Documented
In 2009, Crist Engineers completed a wastewater master plan examining Sherwood's system. The engineering work documented wet-weather flows, infiltration and hydraulic concerns and evaluated alternatives for the future of wastewater treatment.
That same year, Sherwood and North Little Rock asked the University of Arkansas at Little Rock to study whether the two cities should collaborate on wastewater services or merge portions of their systems.
2014 | UALR: The Current Structure Wasn't Working
UALR completed Unraveling the Maze, an independent examination of the wastewater systems serving Sherwood and North Little Rock.
The study concluded that having two entities administer an interconnected collection system was impractical. It examined two primary paths forward: a consolidated regional utility or a new arrangement in which Sherwood would operate collection within Sherwood while North Little Rock handled wastewater treatment.
The larger question of how the interconnected system should be structured remained unresolved.
2025 | Sherwood Hires Halff
Sherwood contracted with Halff Associates for another long-range wastewater study.
The City's own scope of work acknowledged that portions of the wastewater system were aging, needed maintenance and were reaching the end of their useful life.
Halff recommended rehabilitation of approximately 20,000 feet of interceptor sewer and additional investigation into the system's condition and hydraulic performance.
The contract amount was $120,000.
2026 | Sherwood Hires Crist, Again
Sherwood then retained Crist Engineers for additional investigation.
Crist examined flow, system condition and hydraulic performance. Its work identified hydraulic limitations and concluded that rehabilitation alone would not necessarily eliminate wet-weather surcharging.
Crist developed conceptual improvements totaling approximately $18 million, including potential interceptor improvements and additional hydraulic modeling.
2026 | North Little Rock Files Lawsuit
The longstanding disagreement between Sherwood and North Little Rock eventually moved into litigation.
North Little Rock filed suit concerning the wastewater relationship between the cities, including operation and maintenance of portions of the interconnected system. Those allegations are now matters for the legal process.
But the engineering questions didn't begin with the lawsuit.
They have been studied for years.
THE $20+ MILLION QUESTION
Who pays?
Sherwood is facing more than $20 million in potential wastewater costs for a system serving roughly 2,400 customers. If Sherwood keeps the system, those costs don't disappear. Somebody has to pay them.
THE WAY FORWARD
Put the options on the table. Put the numbers beside them.
Sherwood should begin negotiating with North Little Rock Wastewater over the portion of the system it is seeking. That negotiation should determine exactly what North Little Rock would assume, what financial obligations would remain with Sherwood, what happens to customer rates and how Sherwood residents are protected.
With more than $20 million in potential costs and roughly 2,400 customers served by the system, keeping things as they are comes with a price. If Sherwood keeps the system, we need to know how those improvements will be paid for and who will ultimately pay the bill.
If keeping the system makes financial and operational sense, the numbers should show it. If an agreement with North Little Rock reduces Sherwood’s long-term financial exposure and protects those customers, we should make the deal.
Sherwood has spent enough time and taxpayer money studying this problem. It’s time to put the numbers on the table, negotiate from Sherwood’s best interests and move forward.