Okfuskee County Rural Water District No. 2 Receives $800,000 Water System Loan with Principal Forgiveness from the OWRB
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Okfuskee County Rural Water District No. 2 (District) received approval for an $800,000 loan with 100% principal forgiveness on Tuesday from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) to improve the District’s water infrastructure. Construction of upgrades and improvements to the water system will be financed by the Oklahoma Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF).
The District operates a public drinking water distribution and storage system in need of critical infrastructure updates. The proposed project focuses on repainting five existing standpipes to prevent corrosion and extend their useful life, while also installing a centralized SCADA monitoring system for the standpipes and pump stations. These planned upgrades will significantly improve operational efficiency and overall system reliability. Ultimately, the project will protect public health by preserving safe drinking water storage and enhancing system monitoring to reduce the risk of service disruptions, pressure loss, and water quality issues.
Lori Johnson, chief of the OWRB’s Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the District’s customers will save an estimated $1,259,000 when compared to traditional financing.
“This funding will help Okfuskee County Rural Water District No. 2 upgrade its pump stations and pipes to protect safe drinking water,” said Senator Bryan Logan, R-Paden. “Not only will these improvements help protect public health, they will also extend the lifespan of current pipes and secure the local water supply. Significant upgrades like these will prevent costly disruptions in the future that could harm safe drinking water and damage water infrastructure that supports many rural areas.”
"Communities in our District have some really encouraging news ahead, as new support from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund will make it possible for local water systems to get important upgrades,” said Representative David Smith, R-Arpelar. “These improvements will help keep day‑to‑day operations running more smoothly and give families and businesses greater confidence in the water they depend on. We’re truly thankful for the resources that make this work possible and deeply appreciative of the local teams who show up every day to take care of their neighbors. Their commitment continues to make a real and lasting difference."
Julie Cunningham, Executive Director of the OWRB, and Rob Singletary, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ), express their sincere appreciation to State Senator Bryan Logan and State Representative David Smith for their support of the DWSRF program.
The DWSRF program is administered by the OWRB and ODEQ with partial funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The DWSRF program has provided approximately $2.5 billion in drinking water loans to provide communities with the resources necessary to maintain and improve the infrastructure that protects our valuable water resources statewide.
Since 1983, the Oklahoma Water Resources Board has approved over $8.7 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.
