Stilwell Area Development Authority receives $7,198,438 grant for system improvements

OKLAHOMA CITY –The Stilwell Area Development Authority (Authority) received approval for $7,198,438 in funding Tuesday from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) to improve the Authority’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 $7,210,000 in Cherokee Tribal Matching Funds, and $8,159,000 from Indian Health Services.

The Authority has aging water and wastewater infrastructure and insufficient capacity during peak demand. These proceeds will be used to construct a new flow equalization basin, a new pump station, and to improve the water treatment plant.

Joe Freeman, chief of the OWRB’s Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the Authority’s customers will save an estimated $11,770,900 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 financial resources necessary to address water and wastewater infrastructure needs within their systems. Since 1983 the Water Resources Board has approved over $6.9 billion in loans and grants for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements throughout Oklahoma.

“We are grateful to State Senator Tom Woods and State Representative David Hardin 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