Grady County RWSG & SWMD No. 7 receives $1,000,000 grant for system improvements

OKLAHOMA CITY –The Grady County Rural Water, Sewer, Gas, and Solid Waste Management District No. 7  (District) received approval for $1,000,000 in funding Tuesday from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) to improve the District’s water infrastructure.  Construction of upgrades and improvements to the water system will be financed by the Oklahoma American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant program along with $68,957.64 in Grady County American Rescue Plan Act funds.   

The District will utilize the proceeds for the installation of a new water storage standpipe as well as relocation and renovation for an existing standpipe.   

Joe Freeman, chief of the OWRB’s Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the District’s customers will save an estimated $1,547,100 compared to traditional financing.

District Treasurer, Georgina Calhoun, and Steve Fox, project engineer, attended on behalf of Grady County RWSG & SWMD No. 7. Georgina Calhoun stated, “We appreciate being considered for this grant. The District really could use this money for these important projects.” 

The ARPA grant program is administered by the OWRB with funding from the U.S. Department of the Treasury and appropriated through Senate Bill 429, Senate Bill 13, and Senate Bill 4 for the Water and Wastewater American Rescue Plan Act grants program. This OWRB program has been structured to provide communities and other eligible entities financial resources necessary to address water and wastewater infrastructure needs within their systems. Since 1983 the Water Resources Board has approved over $6.2 billion in loans and grants for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements throughout Oklahoma.   

“We are grateful to State Senator Lonnie Paxton and State Representative Brad Boles 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