The city provided a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) with their answers. You can find those HERE.

Here are a few questions we have for city leadership:

Why didn’t city officials request smaller rate increases in 2022, 2023, and 2024 as recommended by the 2020 water rate study?

When did the mayor and water department know rates needed to double to cover the cost of leaks? Why is this happening now?

Why was City Council not informed about the dire situation with our water system?

Why has the city prioritized projects like parks and bike lanes while neglecting to fix critical infrastructure?

Should we expect similar large increases in our electric and sewer rates in the near future?

Why did the city increase salaries and benefits for employees by 30% over the past three years when there was clearly a need for infrastructure funding?

Why didn’t the city borrow funds when interest rates were at record lows and tourists could’ve helped pay for infrastructure improvements? Why didn’t the city consider a bond for water and sewer instead of only street improvements?

Other than replacing all the meters, what else has the city done in the past 5-10 years to fix water leaks?

Why hasn’t the city been more transparent and shared information about the water issues with the public?

Is there anything else that hasn’t been shared with the citizens of Bentonville that is going to lead to higher costs for residents?

Why does Bentonville have over 50% water loss when Rogers is only 8%?

According to Director of Public Works Mike Bender, Bentonville has lost about $20 million due to water leaks in the past six years. Why should residents pay for inaction by the city?