Town of Wilburton receives $1,000,000 grant for system improvements
OKLAHOMA CITY –The Town of Wilburton (Town) received approval for $1,000,000 in funding Tuesday from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) to improve the Town’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.
The Town owns and operates a sewer system which needs to address the inflow and infiltration (I&I) of stormwater during high rain events. These proceeds will be used to replace 5,000 linear feet of 8-inch sewer main, 13 manholes, and perform surface repairs and improvements to the wastewater treatment plant. These improvements will address the I&I into the sewer collection system thereby reducing unintended flows to the wastewater treatment facility and prevent unpermitted discharges from wet weather.
Joe Freeman, chief of the OWRB’s Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the City’s customers will save an estimated $1,553,200.00 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 Warren Hamilton and State Representative Jim Grego for their continued support of our financial assistance programs,” said Julie Cunningham, Executive Director of the OWRB.
Senator Hamilton stated, “These grants from the OWRB will go a long way in repairing, upgrading, and modernizing critical water and wastewater infrastructure. I would like to thank everyone involved who made this happen.”
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Contact:
Joe Freeman
Oklahoma Water Resources Board
(405) 530-8800
Joe.Freeman@owrb.ok.gov
