Wewoka Public Works Authority receives $1,450,913 in grant funding for system improvements

OKLAHOMA CITY –The Wewoka Public Works Authority (Authority) received approval for $1,450,913 in funding Thursday from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) to improve the Authority’s wastewater infrastructure.  The first request of $450,913 will be funded through the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant (OSG) program. The second request for $1,000,000 will be financed by the Oklahoma American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant program.  

The Authority owns and operates a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) which serves the City of Wewoka. The system is experiencing inflow and infiltration (I/I) into their sewer collection system causing unpermitted discharges. The OSG grant proceeds will be used to conduct a Sanitary Sewer Evaluation Study (SSES) to identify the inflow and infiltration (I/I) sources into the collection system and to prepare planning and design for the SSES recommendations. The Authority will then utilize the ARPA funds to make corrections as identified in the SSES including rehabilitation and replacement of sewer mains and manholes.  

Joe Freeman, chief of the OWRB’s Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the Authority’s customers will save a combined estimation of $2,381,700 compared to traditional financing.  

The OSG program is administered by the OWRB with funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This OWRB program has been structured to provide communities the resources necessary to complete the planning and design of sewer overflow and stormwater drainage issues.  

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 $7.0 billion in loans and grants for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements throughout Oklahoma.  

“We are grateful to State Senator Grant Green and State Representative Danny Williams 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