Weleetka Public Works Authority receives $1,000,000 grant for dam improvements

OKLAHOMA CITY –The Weleetka 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 infrastructure. Planning and design and construction of upgrades and improvements to the dam will be financed by the Oklahoma American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant program.

Weleetka Lake is currently the sole source of raw water supply for the customers of the Authority. The concrete spillway and concrete outlet channel or flume of the lake's dam is in need of repair. The proposed project will be phased. Phase I is for the planning and design of the concrete spillway structure repair. Phase II will be the reconstruction of the concrete spillway chute, construction of a temporary coffer dam, and a construction access road to the base of the dam.

Joe Freeman, chief of the OWRB’s Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the Authority’s customers will save an estimated $1,588,000.00 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 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 $6.8 billion in loans and grants for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements throughout Oklahoma.

“We are grateful to State Senator Roger Thompson and State Representative David Smith for their continued support of our financial assistance programs,” said Julie Cunningham, Executive Director of the OWRB.

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Contact:
Yohanes Sugeng
Oklahoma Water Resources Board
(405) 530-8800
Yohanes.Sugeng@owrb.ok.gov