The Choctaw Utilities Authority Receives $2,500,000 Wastewater System Loan from the OWRB

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Choctaw Utilities Authority (Authority) received approval for a $2,500,000 loan on Tuesday from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) to improve the Authority’s wastewater infrastructure. The planning and design for the wastewater system will be financed by the Oklahoma Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF).

The Choctaw Utilities Authority operates a wastewater treatment system in Oklahoma County, serving more than 1,600 sewer customers. With the community’s population of over 12,000 expected to grow in the coming years, the City’s 2018 wastewater treatment plant is projected to exceed its current capacity. To ensure the system continues to meet all Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) standards, the Authority will initiate planning and design work to assess needed upgrades to the treatment plant and the wastewater collection system. These improvements will help maintain regulatory compliance and protect water quality, representing a critical step toward a more sustainable and resilient wastewater system.

Lori Johnson, chief of the OWRB’s Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the Authority’s customers will save an estimated $78,100 over the life of the 2-year loan compared to traditional financing. The CWSRF loan will be secured by a senior parity lien on their 1 cent sales tax revenue.

The Choctaw Utilities Authority’s officials attending the OWRB’s monthly meeting in support of the loan application included Jeff Raley, a member of the bond counsel for the Authority. “The eastern part of the county is a prime growth area with the opening of the Kickapoo Turnpike, and there is a lot of interest in developing that area,” said Raley. “We appreciate the consideration.”

“This $2.5 million investment in the Choctaw Utilities Authority’s infrastructure will ensure that our wastewater system keeps pace with growth across the region while protecting public health and maintaining water quality,” said Senator Brenda Stanley, R-Midwest City. “I appreciate the Oklahoma Water Resources Board for their partnership and support as our municipalities plan for growth and long-term infrastructure needs.”

“We are grateful to State Senator Brenda Stanley and State Representatives John George and Robert Manger for their support of our financial assistance programs,” said Julie Cunningham, Executive Director of the OWRB.

The CWSRF program is administered by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board with partial funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The CWSRF program has provided approximately $2.9 billion in water quality 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.

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Contact:
Lori Johnson
Oklahoma Water Resources Board
Chief, Financial Assistance Division
(405) 530-8800
Lori.Johnson@owrb.ok.gov