Buffalo Public Works Authority receives $314,450 water system funding from OWRB

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Buffalo Public Works Authority (Authority) received approval for $314,450 in funding 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 a 100% principal forgiveness loan through the Oklahoma Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF).   

The Authority will utilize the proceeds for valve installation which will reduce water loss and improve pressure in the distribution system for residents and businesses within the Authority.     

Joe Freeman, chief of the OWRB’s Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the Authority’s customers will save an estimated $489,550 compared to traditional financing.     

The DWSRF program is administered by the OWRB and the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) with partial funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  The DWSRF program has provided approximately $2 billion in drinking water loans to provide communities 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 $6.2 billion in loans and grants for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements throughout Oklahoma.   

Julie Cunningham, Executive Director of the OWRB, and Scott Thompson, Executive Director of the ODEQ, express their sincere appreciation to State Senator Casey Murdock and Representative Kenton Patzkowsky for their support of the DWSRF program.   

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Contacts: 
Joe Freeman 
Oklahoma Water Resources Board 
(405) 530-8800 
Joe.Freeman@owrb.ok.gov         

Eddie Rhandour 
Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality 
(405) 702-8100 
Eddie.Rhandour@deq.ok.gov