Stephens County Rural Water District No. 1 Receives $84,992 Grant for Water System Improvements from the OWRB

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Rural Water District No. 1, Stephens County, Oklahoma (District) in Stephens County received approval for a $84,992 Emergency Grant on Tuesday through the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) to improve the District’s water infrastructure.

The District operates a water supply system that relies on a pump station to transport water purchased from the City of Marlow during periods of high demand. In February 2025, severe storms caused significant damage to the existing pump, disrupting service and highlighting the need for critical infrastructure repairs. The proposed project will construct a new booster pump station to restore reliable water delivery and support the system’s capacity during peak usage.

The estimated cost of the project is $99,990.43 which will be funded by the OWRB Emergency Grant of $84,991.87 and a local match of $14,998.56.

Lori Johnson, chief of the OWRB's Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the grant will save the Authority’s customers $158,400 in principal and interest charges by not having to borrow the project funds.

“We are grateful to Senator Spencer Kern and Representative Stacy Jo Adams for their continued support of water and wastewater infrastructure funding in Oklahoma,” said Julie Cunningham, OWRB Executive Director.

Through its Emergency Grant Program, the OWRB has provided more than $36 million in critical funding to address urgent water and wastewater infrastructure needs across the state. These investments have helped communities avoid costly disruptions and have saved Oklahomans over $65.5 million in total project costs.

Since 1983 the Water Resources Board has approved over $8.2 billion in loans and grants for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements throughout Oklahoma.