Rural Water District No. 18, LeFlore County, Oklahoma Receives $670,450 Water System Funding from the OWRB
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Rural Water District No. 18, LeFlore County, Oklahoma (District) received approval for a $670,450 DWSRF 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’s infrastructure includes aging meters. The proposed project will replace 1,650 antiquated water meters with new reliable meters and incorporate automated meter reading (AMR) technology throughout the system. These improvements will reduce water loss by more accurately measuring the water sold to customers, while ensuring reliable service for residents and businesses served by the District.
Lori Johnson, chief of the OWRB’s Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the District’s customers will save an estimated $1,050,750 when compared to traditional financing.
“Reliable water service depends on accurate systems and accountability,” said Sen. George Burns, R-Pollard. “Replacing outdated meters and upgrading to modern technology helps protect ratepayers, reduces waste, and ensures the system is working the way it should. This is a practical, commonsense step that strengthens rural infrastructure and serves customers better.”
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 Senators George Burns and Warren Hamilton and State Representative Eddy Dempsey 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 $2.4 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 $8.6 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.
