The Lawton Water Authority Receives $21,000,000 Water System Funding from the OWRB
OKLAHOMA CITY –The Lawton Water Authority (Authority) received approval for $21,000,000 in funding Tuesday from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) to improve the Authority’s water infrastructure. Construction of upgrades and improvements to the water system will be financed by the Oklahoma Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF).
The Authority is investing in critical water infrastructure upgrades to ensure reliable service for residents and businesses by replacing aging water mains that have surpassed their useful life. This project includes the installation of 29,492 linear feet of 8-inch PVC pipe and 4,344 linear feet of 12-inch PVC pipe, enhancing system efficiency and reducing the risk of leaks and service disruptions. By modernizing the water distribution network, the improvements will support long-term water quality, improve the reliability of the distribution system, and lower operational costs for the City of Lawton.
Lori Johnson, chief of the OWRB’s Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the Authority’s customers will save an estimated $8,298,200 compared to traditional financing. The DWSRF loan will be secured with a lien on the revenues of the Authority’s water, sewer, sanitation revenues and may include a mortgage on the water and sewer systems.
The Lawton Water Authority’s officials attending the OWRB’s monthly meeting in support of the loan application included Director of Field Utilities Rusty Whisenhunt .
“Thank you for the opportunity to come before the Board,” said Director of Field Utilities Rusty Whisenhunt. “ This is the third and final project in our 23 waterline improvement project. We currently have 54 miles of waterline under construction and this will allow us to get through this round of improvements to our aging infrastructure.”
"Investing in our water infrastructure is essential for ensuring clean and reliable service for our residents,” said Senator Spencer Kern, R-Duncan. “This $21 million project will replace aging water mains with nearly 34,000 feet of new PVC piping, improving water quality and reliability for years to come. By addressing these critical issues now, we are safeguarding our community’s water supply for future generations."
Julie Cunningham, Executive Director of the OWRB, and Rob Singletary, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ), express their sincere appreciation to State Legislators from the Lawton area for their continued support of the DWSRF program.
The DWSRF program is administered by the OWRB and the ODEQ with partial funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The DWSRF program has provided approximately $2.4 billion in drinking water loans to provide communities with 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 $7.8 billion in loans and grants for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements throughout Oklahoma.
