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The Civitan Basin has experienced flooding events in the past. Stormwater has covered roads and inundated homes in the drainage basin due to undersized stormwater infrastructure that is in need of rehabilitation.

A hydraulics analysis of the basin and a physical inspection of the infrastructure will be conducted to evaluate alternatives, to develop cost estimates, and to prioritize improvements in the drainage basin to reduce the risk of future stormwater flooding. Muskogee’s Assistant Public Works Director, George Kingston was in attendance at the OWRB’s monthly meeting in support of the loan application.

The CWSRF program is administered by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board with partial funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The loan will be funded through the principal forgiveness portion of the 2016 EPA CWSRF Capitalization Grant. Oklahoma utilizes the CWSRF to provide communities 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 $3.5 billion in loans and grants for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements throughout Oklahoma.

“We are grateful to State Senator Dewayne Pemberton and State Representatives George Faught and Avery Frix, for their support of our financial assistance programs,” said Julie Cunningham, interim Executive Director of the OWRB.

The Authority will utilize the proceeds for improvements to its 17-million gallon per day Water Treatment Plant including the construction of a new intermediate pump station, a new ozone system, a new ultraviolet (UV) disinfection system, a new and modified chemical feed equipment with related facilities, a new maintenance building, and a new administration building. The project also includes the replacement of existing pumps at a high service pump station, modifications to the existing filtration building, and any associated electrical and control system improvements. The Authority's new UV system will provide for the Authority's water treatment needs while eliminating the use of chloramine which is currently utilized and is regulated for disinfection byproducts.

Joe Freeman, chief of the OWRB’s Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the Authority’s customers will save an estimated $7,190,000 over the life of the 20-year loan by using the DWSRF program. The DWSRF loan will be secured with a lien on the revenues of the Authority’s water and sewer system. Norman Utilities Authority’s officials attending the OWRB’s monthly meeting in support of the loan application included: Ken Komiske, Director of Utilities; Anthony Francisco, Finance Director and Chris Mattingly, Capital Projects Engineer.

The DWSRF program is administered by the OWRB and the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) with partial funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The DWSRF program has provided approximately $1.1 billion in drinking water loans to provide communities 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 $3.5 billion in loans and grants for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements throughout Oklahoma.

Julie Cunningham, interim Executive Director of the OWRB, and Scott Thompson, executive director of the ODEQ, express their sincere appreciation to state legislators from Norman.

Joe Freeman, chief of the OWRB's Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the grant will save the Authority’s customers $170,100 in principal and interest charges, by not having to borrow the project funds. Since 1983 the Water Resources Board has approved over $3 billion in loans and grants for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements throughout Oklahoma.

“We are grateful to State Senator Bryce Marlatt and State Representative Gus Blackwell for their continued support of water and wastewater infrastructure funding in Oklahoma,” said Julie Cunningham, interim Executive Director of the OWRB.

The Authority will use loan proceeds from the $9,775,000 CWSRF loan to upgrade the existing wastewater treatment facility and refinance a portion of an existing bank loan for the design of the wastewater treatment facility. The existing Sequencing Batch Reactor plant will be upgraded to an Alternating-Zone Extended-Air Activated Sludge process to treat the wastewater generated from portions of Choctaw and the surrounding area. The improvements will help address an Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) Consent Order, and will improve the water quality of the Authority's discharge to the receiving stream, the North Canadian River.

The Authority will use the funds from the second loan, totaling $1,440,000, for design and construction of upgrades to their wastewater treatment plant and sludge handling facility. The funds will be used to refinance an interim bank loan that was originally used for the purchase of a rotary press and for wastewater treatment plant design.

Joe Freeman, chief of the OWRB’s Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the Authority’s customers will save an estimated $1,819,000 over the life of the two loans. The CWSRF loan will be secured with a lien on the revenues of the Authority’s water and sewer system and a two cent sales tax. Officials attending the OWRB’s monthly meeting in support of the loan application included Bernie Nauheimer, Interim City Manager and Randy Jacox, Public Works Director.

The CWSRF program is administered by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board with partial funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Oklahoma utilizes the CWSRF to provide communities 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 $3.5 billion in loans and grants for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements throughout Oklahoma.

“We are grateful to State Senator Ron Sharp and Representative Lewis Moore, for their support of our financial assistance programs,” said Julie Cunningham, interim executive director of the OWRB.