BEARDEN, Ark. – When Bearden was faced with a possible lead contamination in its water, the Arkansas Food Bank came to the rescue by sending more than 24,000 pounds of bottled water to the town.

The shipment was sent out from Little Rock Wednesday.

This donation came after a discovery of lead in two personal water draws in the City of Bearden, according to Ouachita County Officials.

We’re told it’s not at an emergency level, and the bottled water was sent as a proactive response to a potential issue.

“So, it’s absolutely critical. It’s critical that they have the food and water that they need. The children that are there that have possibly used this water supply for many years, the elderly, families… it’s really important. Water is what we all need,” Arkansas Food Bank CEO Rhonda Sanders said.

20 pallets of water will be available for the Bearden School District and food pantries in the area, which serve around 1,500 – 2,000 people.