Commerce Development Authority Receives $75,000 Grant for Emergency Water System Repairs from the OWRB
OKLAHOMA CITY – Commerce Development Authority (Authority) in Ottawa County received approval for a $75,000 Emergency Grant on Tuesday through the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) to improve the Authority’s water infrastructure.
The Authority operates a public water system serving local residents and businesses. Following severe freezing conditions on January 28, 2026, the Authority experienced a complete loss of water in its storage tank due to pump failures and breaks in the water distribution system. The project will reimburse the Authority for emergency pump replacement and repairs to the water storage tank, restoring the system’s capacity to provide reliable drinking water service. These improvements will strengthen the system’s resilience to future weather-related disruptions and help protect public health by supporting a dependable supply of safe drinking water. The $75,000 project will be funded through an OWRB Emergency Grant.
Lori Johnson, chief of the OWRB's Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the grant will save the Authority’s customers $157,200 in principal and interest charges by not having to borrow the project funds.
"Strong infrastructure is essential to the success of our communities, and access to reliable water is something no community should have to go without,” said Sen. Michael Bergstrom, R-Adair. “This $75,000 emergency grant will help the Commerce Development Authority make critical repairs following the damage caused by this winter’s freezing conditions. I’m proud to support this investment and help Commerce get its water system back to where it needs to be."
"I know the residents of Commerce will be glad to have this reimbursement to keep their costs down and to have the assurance that this type of loss should not occur in the future," said Rep. Steve Bashore, R-Miami.
“We are grateful to Senator Micheal Bergstrom and Representative Steve Bashore for their continued support of water and wastewater infrastructure funding in Oklahoma,” said Julie Cunningham, OWRB Executive Director.
Since 1983, the Oklahoma Water Resources Board has approved over $9.2 billion in loans and grants for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements throughout Oklahoma.
Established in 1957, the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) serves as the state’s water resources planning and development agency. A nine-member Board oversees the OWRB, with members appointed by the Governor to represent nine geographic regions and water-use sectors. The OWRB is committed to managing, protecting, and improving Oklahoma’s water resources to meet long-term water supply, water quality, flood mitigation, and infrastructure needs. For more information, visit Oklahoma.gov/owrb.
