Stillwater Utilities Authority receives $39,000,000 water system funding from OWRB
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Stillwater Utilities Authority (Authority) received approval for $39,000,000 in funding Thursday from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) to improve the Authority’s water infrastructure. The first request was for $2,000,000 financed by the Oklahoma American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant program. The second totaled $37,000,000 through the Oklahoma Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) of which $1,000,000 is made available as loan forgiveness, along with $4,266,692 in proceeds from a previous DWSRF loan, a Congressional Directed Spending Grant totaling $5,000,000, andlocal funds of $7,114,806.
The Authority owns and operates a water treatment plant that serves Stillwater and surrounding areas. The Authority will utilize the proceeds for water treatment plant (WTP) upgrades consisting of a new finished water pump station, a new recovery water pump station, and a new chemical building including lagoon improvements.
Joe Freeman, chief of the OWRB’s Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the Authority’s customers will save a combined estimation of $15,741,000 compared to traditional financing. The DWSRF loan will be secured with a lien on the revenues of the Authority’s water, sewer, and electric systems and a one (1) cent sales tax. Representatives of the Authority included Engineering Manager of Water Utilities, David Barth, and Senior Project Manager, Chris Humes. Mr. Barth stated, “On behalf of the city, thank you for the consideration of this loan. Our water plant is 40 years old, and this project will help our community with its water needs.”
