Okmulgee Municipal Authority Receives $352,500 Wastewater System Loan from OWRB

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Okmulgee Municipal Authority (Authority) received approval for a $352,500 loan Tuesday from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) to improve the Authority’s wastewater infrastructure. The planning and design for improvements to the wastewater system will be financed by a 100% principal forgiveness loan through the Oklahoma Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF).

The Authority’s wastewater treatment facility requires improvements. The proceeds will be used for the planning, design, and engineering of a flow equalization basin for the wastewater treatment facility. This project will help to develop solutions for sewer overflows during heavy rain events to ensure proper treatment before discharging to Okmulgee Creek.

Joe Freeman, Chief of the OWRB’s Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the Authority’s customers will save an estimated $452,400 compared to traditional financing.

“We are grateful to State Senator Roger Thompson and State Representative Scott Fetgatter 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 $7.4 billion in loans and grants for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements throughout Oklahoma.