Press Release

OKLAHOMA CITY –Kaw City (City) in Kay County received approval for a $63,867 Emergency Grant Tuesday through the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) to improve the City’s wastewater infrastructure.

The City has experienced root intrusion into their sewer lines. To remediate the issue, the City hired a third party to perform root control. After the root control was performed, the sewer line collapsed as the roots were acting as structural integrity for the line. These proceeds will be used to replace the upstream sewer line and bore underneath Washunga Drive with a 12-inch steel casing for connection to the existing line. This redirect will allow flow around the collapsed portion of sewer line. The estimated cost of the project is $192,785 which will be funded by the emergency grant of $63,867.25, $100,000 from a Northern Oklahoma Development Authority's Rural Economic Action Plan grant, and 15% match of local funds totaling $28,917.75.

Joe Freeman, chief of the OWRB's Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the grant will save the Authority’s customers $124,600 in principal and interest charges by not having to borrow the project funds. Since 1983 the Water Resources Board has approved over $7.1 billion in loans and grants for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements throughout Oklahoma.