OKLAHOMA CITY –The Town of Waukomis (Town) received approval for $932,673 in funding Tuesday from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) to improve the Town’s water infrastructure. Construction of upgrades and improvements to the water system will be financed by the Oklahoma American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant program.
The Town owns and operates a public water system which is in need of repair. These proceeds will be used to rehabilitate the water standpipes and install new yard piping, a new generator with an automatic transfer switch, and a chlorine bleach feed system.
Joe Freeman, chief of the OWRB’s Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the Town’s customers will save an estimated $1,448,700 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 Senator Roland Pederson and State Representative Mike Dobrinski for their continued support of our financial assistance programs,” said Julie Cunningham, Executive Director of the OWRB.
Representative Dobrinski stated, "Congratulations to the residents of Waukomis on the approval of this ARPA grant to make these much-needed improvements to their water infrastructure. The Oklahoma legislature has prioritized and funded various agencies to distribute among worthwhile projects that create generational opportunities for our rural communities. I appreciate the OWRB for recognizing this project and the impact it will have on the Waukomis community for several decades to come."
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Contact:
Joe Freeman
Oklahoma Water Resources Board
(405) 530-880
Joe.Freeman@owrb.ok.gov
