Town of Custer City Receives $99,999 Grant for Water System Improvements from the OWRB

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Town of Custer City (Town) in Custer County received approval for a $99,999 Rural Economic Action Plan (REAP) grant on Tuesday through the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) to improve the Town’s water infrastructure.

The Town is experiencing increasing water loss as they continue to combat frequent line breaks from the original main line, which cannot withstand high water pressure. The proposed project is to replace approximately 5,070 linear feet of the existing transmission main with 8” PVC water main, plus all appurtenances required to complete the project. The estimated cost of the project is $249,999 which will be funded by the OWRB REAP grant in the amount of $99,999 and a South Western Oklahoma Development Authority (SWODA) REAP Grant in the amount of $150,000.

Lori Johnson, chief of the OWRB's Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the grant will save the Authority’s customers $175,700 in principal and interest charges by not having to borrow the project funds.

“This is a much-needed investment to address frequent water main line breaks and continuous water loss in this community,” said Senator Darcy Jech, R-Kingfisher. “This OWRB REAP grant will greatly improve and modernize local water infrastructure while supporting the health and safety of residents.”

“We are grateful to Senator Darcy Jech and Representative Anthony Moore for their continued support of water and wastewater infrastructure funding in Oklahoma,” said Julie Cunningham, OWRB Executive Director.

Since 1983 the 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.