The Elgin Public Works Authority Receives $4,900,000 loan for Wastewater System Improvements from the OWRB
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Elgin Public Works Authority (Authority) received approval for a $4,900,000 Financial Assistance Program (FAP) loan on Tuesday from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) to improve their wastewater infrastructure.
The Authority operates a wastewater treatment facility in Comanche County that serves over 1,200 sewer connections. The facility currently uses a lagoon system with slow-rate application of effluent to irrigation fields to treat and manage wastewater. However, the existing system cannot adequately handle peak flows from the city and is projected to reach capacity by 2035. To address this, the proposed project will expand the treatment lagoon, upgrade the influent lift station to accommodate higher flow volumes, expand the North Cell to increase capacity and improve treatment, and construct a disinfection facility and discharge structure to allow for direct discharge, improving both capacity and treatment efficiency.
The estimated cost of the projects is $3,831,000.00. The Authority is also using a portion of the loan proceeds to refinance a bond of approximately $1,000,000 issued in 2024 for water well repairs. The project and refinanced bond will be funded by an FAP loan not to exceed an amount of $4,900,000.00 and to establish a debt service reserve.
According to Lori Johnson, chief of the OWRB’s Financial Assistance Division, the Authority’s customers will save an estimated $1,693,200 compared to traditional financing. The loan shall be secured with a lien on the revenues of the Authority’s water and sewer services, as well as a two-cents sales tax, two-cents use tax, and may include a mortgage on the water and sewer systems.
Local officials attending the OWRB’s monthly meeting in support of the loan application included Chairman JJ Francais. “It was not that long ago that we were a 2A town,” said Francais. “Now we're a 5A town and we are trying to catch up and get our sewer adequately to where it needs to be.”
"Water infrastructure is essential not only to our health and safety, but also to the health of our state's agricultural industry,” said Rep. Toni Hasenbeck, R-Elgin. “By taking action now to address these issues, we prevent future headaches and save taxpayer dollars down the road."
“We are grateful to State Senator Dusty Deevers and State Representative Toni Hasenbeck for their support of our financial assistance programs,” said Julie Cunningham, Executive Director of the OWRB.
Since 1983, the Oklahoma Water Resources Board has approved over $8.2 billion in loans and grants for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements throughout Oklahoma.
