Town of Waynoka Receives $99,999 Grant for Water System Improvements from the OWRB
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Town of Waynoka (Town) in Woods County received approval for a $99,999 Rural Economic Action Plan (REAP) grant on Tuesday through the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) to improve the Town’s water infrastructure.
The Town operates a public water system and is facing significant water loss, which poses potential public health risks. The town’s aging infrastructure lacks water valves, making it necessary to shut down the entire water tower for repairs, leaving residents without access to water. The proposed project will strategically install water valves throughout the distribution system, allowing for localized repairs and reducing water loss. This essential upgrade will help maintain reliable water service for the community. The estimated cost of the project is $99,999.00 which will be funded by the OWRB REAP grant in the amount of $99,999.00.
Lori Johnson, chief of the OWRB's Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the grant will save the Authority’s customers $181,600 in principal and interest charges by not having to borrow the project funds.
“In northwest Oklahoma, every drop of water counts,” said Sen. Casey Murdock, R-Felt. “This $99,999 grant will allow Waynoka to upgrade its aging water system, reduce significant leaks and make much-needed repairs without having to shut off water access for the entire community. This project will improve local water infrastructure while conserving this precious natural resource.”
"I am so thankful for this OWRB grant to help the Waynoka facilities to better conserve and regulate their water system,” Rep. Carl Newton, R-Cherokee, said. “This will be a great benefit to the citizens of Waynoka and the City of Waynoka will be able to localize water outages instead of closing large areas of water supply."
“We are grateful to Senator Casey Murdock and Representative Carl Newton for their continued support of water and wastewater infrastructure funding in Oklahoma,” said Julie Cunningham, OWRB Executive Director.
Since 1983 the Water Resources Board has approved over $8.2 billion in loans and grants for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements throughout Oklahoma.
