City of Bethany receives $100,000 grant for water system improvements

OKLAHOMA CITY – The City of Bethany (City) in Oklahoma County received approval for a $100,000 Emergency Grant Tuesday through the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) to improve the City’s water infrastructure.

During a recent high rainfall event, the City experienced significant reductions in the water elevation of a water tower. It was discovered that stormwater had caused the arched corrugated metal pipe beneath a waterline to fail at the intersection of NW 23rd Street and Council Road. This event washed the surrounding soil downstream, leaving the waterline unsupported which resulted in a line break. These proceeds will be used to repair the waterline, install an arched, reinforced concrete pipe from the junction box to the damaged joint of the stormwater system, install a concrete collar around the new arch pipe and the existing corrugated metal pipe, and fill in the washout caused by the breach.  The estimated cost of the project is $278,658.52 which will be funded by the requested emergency grant of $100,000 and local funds of $178,658.52.

Joe Freeman, chief of the OWRB's Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the grant will save the Authority’s customers $174,300 in principal and interest charges by not having to borrow the project funds. Since 1983 the Water Resources Board has approved over $6.5 billion in loans and grants for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements throughout Oklahoma.

“We are grateful to State Legislators from the Bethany area for their continued support of our financial assistance programs,” said Julie Cunningham, Executive Director of the OWRB.

####

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