Oklahoma City Water Utilities Trust receives $2,083,434 grant for system improvements

OKLAHOMA CITY –The Oklahoma City Water Utilities Trust (Trust) received approval for $2,083,434 in funding 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 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant program along with $15,826,566 in Clean Water State Revolving Fund loan funds.

The Trust owns and operates the Deer Creek wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and is working to improve the odor and biosolids at the WWTP. These proceeds will be used to replace the belt filter presses, aeration and mixing systems, the lime system, and conveyor. Additionally, the Trust is adding a new biological trickling filter and installing aa new hydrogen peroxide system.

Joe Freeman, chief of the OWRB’s Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the Authority’s customers will save an estimated $3,217,300 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 with the financial resources necessary to address water and wastewater infrastructure needs within their systems. Since 1983 the Water Resources Board has approved over $7.1 billion in loans and grants for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements throughout Oklahoma.

“We are grateful to State Legislators from the Oklahoma City area 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