Southern Oklahoma Water Corporation receives $17,100,000 in grant funding for system improvements

OKLAHOMA CITY –The Southern Oklahoma Water Corporation (Corporation) received approval for $17,100,000 Tuesday from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) to improve the Corporation’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 $895,250 in local funds.     

The Corporation needs additional water capacity to support development at the Ardmore Industrial Air Park and the rural areas to the north and east of Ardmore. $9,100,000 of these funds will add two clarifiers and backup power to the water treatment plant, and upgrade the existing water distribution system by installing one (1) 12-inch water main and two (2) 8-inch water mains.     

The Corporation also needs additional water capacity to support tourism, and new commercial, retail, and residential development in and around Lake Murray State Park. The existing water treatment plant is located on the waterfront, which would be better utilized as recreational space. $8,000,000 of these funds will be used to install a new water treatment plant on the western edge of the State Park, relocate a raw water intake to a deeper location, and upgrade the water distribution infrastructure.     

Joe Freeman, chief of the OWRB’s Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the Corporation’s customers will save an estimated $25,834,300 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 Senate Bill 13 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 Jerry Alvord, State Representative Tammy Townley, and State Representative Josh Cantrell 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