The Hobart Public Works Authority Receives $1,031,655 Water System Funding from the OWRB

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Hobart Public Works Authority (Authority) received approval for a $1,031,655 DWSRF loan with $908,043.38 in principal forgiveness on Tuesday from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) to improve the Authority’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 Authority operates a municipal water system and will use the proceeds to install a modern Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system to provide more accurate meter readings and real-time water-use data. Replacing the community’s outdated meters will significantly improve the ability to identify water loss and detect leaks earlier, supporting long-term water reliability. These upgrades will strengthen overall system efficiency and deliver more reliable service for residents and businesses served by the Authority.

Lori Johnson, chief of the OWRB’s Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the Authority’s customers will save an estimated $1,050,043 when compared to traditional financing. The DWSRF loan will be secured with a lien on the revenues of the Authority’s  water, sewer, and sanitation services, and a 3 cent sales tax.

The Hobart Public Works Authority’s officials attending the OWRB’s monthly meeting in support of the loan application included Hobart’s Water Superintendent Joe Tipton and Levi Buck from Myers Engineering, the contract engineer for this project. “I would like to give a big thanks to start out, on behalf of the city of Hobart and Myers Engineering, to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board and the DWSRF, everyone involved, for this assistance,” Buck said. “This forgiveness will make a very significant impact on the city.”

“Reliable water infrastructure is an essential part of every city and town,” said Sen. Brent Howard, R-Altus. “These investments in Hobart will ensure that local families and businesses have access to clean water every day. Costly water projects can be a challenge for smaller communities, but I’m grateful the OWRB stepped up to provide this much-needed support.”

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 Brent Howard and State Representative Gerrid Kendrix 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.