Nearly $20.4 million in water infrastructure grants were awarded to the Arbuckle Master Conservancy District and to the Buckhorn Rural Water District No. 2, officials from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) announced last week.
The Arbuckle Master Conservancy District, which manages Arbuckle Lake water, will get $6.25 million for water infrastructure upgrades which will be financed by Oklahoma American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant program.An additional $6 million will be provided by the Chickasaw Nation in tribal matching funds, according to officials.
According to OWRB, the District has received a reduction for the maximum annual yield determination for water use from the Arbuckle-Simpson Aquifer. This reduction in yield for water use, coupled with the increased water demand in the area, has resulted in a need to create sustainability and certainty for the towns of Sulphur and Dougherty as well as Murray County and Buckhorn Rural Water Districts. Proceeds will be used to address these concerns by replacing four existing pump stations and the installation of a new re-regulating reservoir pump station and new pipeline to Sulphur’s water treatment plant, officials said.
Joe Freeman, chief of the OWRB’s Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the District’s customers will save an estimated $8,052,900 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 Legislators from the surrounding area for their continued support of our financial assistance programs,” said Julie Cunningham, Executive Director of the OWRB.
“The Arbuckle Master Conservancy District is expecting increasing water use demands to provide adequate water allocation to the City of Sulphur,” Oklahoma House Speaker Charles McCall said. “To meet these demands, this project will provide a new re-regulating reservoir pump station, install a new pipeline to the proposed City of Sulphur water treatment plant and provide for all other necessary materials to complete the project. Thanks to a Chickasaw Tribal Matching Grant, and state provided American Rescue Plan Act dollars, this project will be completed and provide an immediate benefit to the citizens depending on the Arbuckle-Simpson Aquifer.”
Buckhorn Rural Water Dist. No. 2 To Receive Nearly $8.16 Million In Funding
In a second announcement last week, the Buckhorn Rural Water District No. 2 (District), in Murray County, received approval for $4,166,667 in funding from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) to improve the District’s water infrastructure. Construction of upgrades and improvements to the water system will be financed by the Oklahoma American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant program along with $4,000,000 in Chickasaw Tribal matching funds.
The District’s focus is to establish stable and reliable water sources for distribution purposes. These proceeds will be used to drill and facilitate two, new ground water supply wells and install necessary water line for tie-in to the existing system.Additionally, the District will connect into the town of Sulphur’s water system as a secondary supply source.
OWRB’s Freeman calculated that the District’s customers will save an estimated $4,891,000 compared to traditional financing.
“We are grateful to State Senator Jerry Alvord, State Senator Greg McCortney, and State Representative Charles McCall for their continued support of our financial assistance programs,” said Julie Cunningham, Executive Director of the OWRB.
“Water is one of the most important resources in the rural areas of Oklahoma, and Buckhorn Rural Water District No. 2 is in desperate need of a stable and reliable water source to support their distribution infrastructure,” Speaker Charles McCall said. “This project would not be possible without the contributions of the Chickasaw Nation, combining their tribalAmerican Rescue Plan Act grant with one matched by the state. It will fill an immediate need, and I am proud that we could work with our tribal partners to get it accomplished.”
