Conway Corp CEO Says Greers Ferry Lake Is Key To Conway’s Water Future
Conway Corp CEO Bret Carroll outlined the city's long-range water plans, emphasizing Greers Ferry Lake as the solution for increasing demands. The utility has secured water rights and plans for a new intake, transmission line, and treatment plant. Carroll also clarified that recent water curtailment was not due to a proposed data center and that Conway is not suitable for data centers requiring potable treated water.
Conway Corp CEO Bret Carroll announced the utility's long-term strategy to address Conway, Arkansas's growing water demands, focusing on Greers Ferry Lake. In a social media update, Carroll explained that Conway Corp has been preparing for this move for years, having secured water use rights from Greers Ferry Lake starting in 2010 and expanding them to over 7 million gallons per day by 2020.
The proposed project, developed in collaboration with Community Water Systems in Higden, would involve constructing a new intake structure approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, a 42-inch raw water transmission line, and a new water treatment plant. Carroll highlighted that Conway's current primary source, Lake Brewer, is projected to be insufficient for the community's needs by 2035.
Carroll stressed the vast size of Greers Ferry Lake, noting that the planned withdrawals would have a minimal impact compared to the lake's natural daily evaporation. He also addressed and refuted rumors linking Conway's recent water curtailment measures to a proposed data center, stating that Conway is not the right community for data centers that require potable treated water.