Hollis Public Works Authority Receives $332,500 Wastewater System Loan with 100% Principal Forgiveness from the OWRB

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Hollis Public Works Authority (Authority) received approval for a $332,500 loan with 100% principal forgiveness Tuesday from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) to improve the Authority’s wastewater infrastructure.  Construction of upgrades and improvements to the wastewater system will be financed by the Oklahoma Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF).

The Authority has been experiencing inflow and infiltration (I/I) in their sanitary sewer collection system (SSCS). The approved funds will be used for the planning, design, and engineering improvements to the sanitary sewer force main and primary lift station, along with approximately 22,000 linear feet of sanitary sewer main replacements. Improvements to the collection system will help reduce or eliminate bypasses and reduce unintended flows to the wastewater treatment plant and improve discharge to Lebos Creek.

Lori Johnson, chief of the OWRB’s Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the Authority’s  customers will save an estimated $544,200 compared to traditional financing.

“Hollis is one of our great rural communities that struggles with being able to complete badly needed infrastructure updates due to a limited tax base,” said Rep. Gerrid Kendrix, R-Altus. “I thank the State of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Water Resources Board for recognizing that need and being willing to assist.  These communities are the foundation of what we call the Oklahoma Standard.”

“We are grateful to State Senator Brent Howard and State Representative Gerrid Kendrix for their support of our financial assistance programs,” said Julie Cunningham, Executive Director of the OWRB.

The CWSRF program is administered by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board with partial funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  The CWSRF program has provided approximately $2.7 billion in water quality loans to provide communities the resources necessary to maintain and improve the infrastructure that protects our valuable water resources statewide.

Since 1983, the Oklahoma Water Resources Board has approved over $7.5 billion in loans and grants for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements throughout Oklahoma.