OKLAHOMA CITY –The City of Tishomingo (City) received approval for $8,263,962 in funding Tuesday from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) to improve water and wastewater infrastructure. Construction of upgrades and improvements will be financed by three grants provided through the Oklahoma American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) program.
Murray State College, located within the City, owns and operates a water treatment plant that serves approximately 2,800 students and 200 staff members. This facility cannot meet the required fire protection regulations while maintaining usable water for all facilities. The first ARPA grant's proceeds will be used to connect the City's water system at three locations with the installation of 8-inch pipelines. The estimated cost of the project is $503,932.50 which will be funded by the ARPA grant of $223,402 along with $214,466.25 from Chickasaw Tribal matching funds, and $75,000 from Murray State College.
The City of Tishomingo owns and operates a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) that serves 3,041 customers. The primary mechanical equipment and systems at the WWTP have reached the end of their service life, resulting in excessive operational and maintenance requirements. The second ARPA grant’s proceeds will be used for a new Alternating-Zone Extended-Air Activated Sludge Advanced Biological Nutrient Removal Facility. This project will be funded by the ARPA grant of $4,283,844 along with $4,674,000 from Indian Health Services, and $4,112,490.50 from Chickasaw Tribal matching funds.
The third ARPA grant will address the City’s need to increase capacity within its water system, for future growth. Proceeds will be used to drill a new well and construct a one-million-gallon storage tank. This project will be funded by the ARPA grant of $3,756,716 along with $3,606,447.50 from Chickasaw Tribal matching funds, and $7,313,000 from Indian Health Services.
Joe Freeman, chief of the OWRB’s Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the City’s customers will save an estimated $12,821,700, collectively, compared to traditional financing.
The ARPA grant program is administered by the OWRB with funding from the U.S. Department of the Treasury and appropriated through the Water and Wastewater American Rescue Plan Act grants program. This OWRB program has been structured to provide communities and other eligible entities with the financial resources necessary to address water and wastewater infrastructure needs within their systems. Since 1983 the Water Resources Board has approved over $7.1 billion in loans and grants for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements throughout Oklahoma.
“We are grateful to State Senator David Bullard, State Senator Jerry Alvord, and State Representative Charles McCall for their continued support of our financial assistance programs,” said Julie Cunningham, Executive Director of the OWRB.
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Contact:
Joe Freeman
Oklahoma Water Resources Board
(405) 530-8800
Joe.Freeman@owrb.ok.gov
