A vital piece of water infrastructure in south Arkansas’s Union County, near the Louisiana border, has been refurbished thanks to a low-interest loan from Communities Unlimited (CU).
Johnson Township Public Works Authority (PWA) recently completed a $67,657 project to repaint an aging standpipe water tank. With 350 connections, the rural system just outside El Dorado received a $63,000 loan through CU’s Community Infrastructure Lending program, which is currently offering streamlined financing for small systems at 3% interest over 10 years. Johnson Township contributed a small amount of their own funding to cover the rest of the expenses for the project.
Chris Ranniger, Senior Economic Development Loan Officer, served as CU’s point of contact throughout the process. Arkansas State Coordinator Tonya Kendrix referred Johnson Township PWA to CU Lending.
While the tank had not deteriorated severely, signs of wear made preventive maintenance necessary. Johnson Township contracted with Tank Spek Corp., a vendor, to handle interior blasting, coating, and sanitizing.
Cindy Woolsey, the system’s longtime accountant, has worked with Johnson Township since 1992 and with CU — formerly Community Resource Group (CRG) — since 1998. She recalled CU’s support when another local system went into receivership, establishing a relationship that’s endured for decades.
When the board needed fast capital to complete the tank refurbishment, Woolsey knew where to turn. “I went on the website and looked at the options,” she said. CU’s terms offered the speed and affordability the board needed — without the complexity of traditional funding. The board approved quickly.
The project wrapped up in July, a stark contrast to the lengthy timelines often tied to federal or state-funded projects. For small systems like Johnson Township, that speed is critical to keeping up with maintenance without risking service interruptions or financial strain.
CU’s Water and Wastewater Lending Team specializes in helping systems like Johnson Township stay ahead of infrastructure needs without getting mired in red tape. Ranniger guided the loan process to ensure everything ran smoothly.
Additionally, Johnson Township PWA is a returning CU borrower. In December 2017, the system borrowed $150,000 from CU to cover water purchases and tank painting.
Woolsey praised CU for filling a critical gap:
“Communities Unlimited has been on my radar for 25 years. They understand the needs of small systems and respond quickly and efficiently — something you rarely get with traditional funding sources. It’s a real blessing to have a lending option that delivers modest funding fast, without the long, difficult process that often comes with state or federal funding.”
— Cindy Woolsey, Accountant for Johnson Township PWA
This latest loan was made possible through the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) Revolving Loan Fund (RLF), a bureau of the Department of Commerce. The 3% interest rate and rapid turnaround reflect CU’s mission as a U.S. Treasury-certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) to ensure rural communities have access to the capital they need.
The deadline to apply for these terms is September 30. More information is available here.
