Thomas receives $420,901 grant for water and wastewater system improvements

OKLAHOMA CITY – Thomas (City) received approval for $420,901 in funding Tuesday from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) to improve the City’s water and wastewater infrastructure.  Construction of upgrades and improvements to the water and wastewater systems will be financed by the Oklahoma American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant program.

The City’s water supply wells and facilities are unmonitored which requires physical inspection. Additionally, a new housing development is being constructed and will require water and sewer infrastructure. These proceeds will be used to install a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition control system (SCADA) and water and sewer lines to the new housing development. The estimated cost of the projects is $538,011.46, which will be funded by the ARPA grant of $420,901.46, a SWODA REAP grant of $75,000, and local funds of $42,110.

Joe Freeman, chief of the OWRB’s Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the City’s customers will save an estimated $658,200 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 Oklahoma Legislature. 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 $6.5 billion in loans and grants for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements throughout Oklahoma.

“We are grateful to State Senator Darcy Jech and State Representative Anthony Moore 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