The Texarkana, Ark., board of directors is set to vote on a proposal to build a new water treatment plant, an action that could lead to a separation of the city's water system from that of Texarkana, Texas.

The Arkansas-side board will vote Monday night on a resolution to allow the city manager to negotiate a contract to build the new plant. The Texarkana Gazette reports such construction usually would be a joint project, since the two cities share the water system.

But the Texas city is involved in a regional study and if its board doesn't approve an identical resolution to make the project favored by the Arkansas side a joint effort, Arkansas-side Mayor Wayne Smith plans to seek to separate the water system.