Fort Cobb Public Works Authority receives $1,000,000 water system funding from OWRB

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Fort Cobb Public Works Authority (Authority) received approval for $1,000,000 in funding Tuesday from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) to improve the Authority’s water infrastructure.  The construction of upgrades and improvements to the system will be financed by a 100% principal forgiveness loan through the Oklahoma Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) along with an Association of South-Central Oklahoma Governments (ASCOG) Rural Economic Action Plan (REAP) grant for $45,000, and $17,400 in local funds. 

The Authority will utilize the proceeds to replace approximately 6,400 linear feet of deteriorated water line throughout the system. These improvements will ensure water pressure is maintained for residents and businesses within the Authority while reducing water loss issues created by leaks or pipe breaks.   

Joe Freeman, chief of the OWRB’s Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the Authority’s customers will save an estimated $1,549,200 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 Darcy Jech and Representative Toni Hasenbeck 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