Bridge collapse cuts off water for some in rural Arkansas

CROSS COUNTY, Ark. — A 56-year-old bridge that collapsed Friday in Cross County, Arkansas caused more than traffic detours — it also cut off the water supply to a number of residents.

The water supply pipe attached to the the underside of the Highway 42 bridge over the St. Francis River was destroyed when the bridge fell.

The water supply line had been attached to the bridge since the early 1980’s. When the bridge fell Friday and the pipe broke, customers of Parkin’s Rural Water Association in parts of Earle and Tryronza lost their water for five days.

Aime Chism with Parkin Rural Water Association said about 100 customers were impacted.

“Another customer called and said the bridge collapsed, ya’ll got water going everywhere. So we had to go out there and turn the water off,” Chism said.

A crew made a temporary fix by connecting a small diameter pipe to what was left of the original pipe and laying that section on the river bed until a permanent fix is made.

But a boil water notice is in effect for Rural Water customers.

The bridge had been closed to traffic since November. ARDOT is investigating but says some weak wooden support columns could be to blame.

Meanwhile, the Parkin Rural Water Association is trying to find funding to replace the broken water supply pipe.

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