The Piedmont Municipal Authority received approval for a $22,650,000 Financial Assistance Program loan Tuesday from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board to improve their water and wastewater infrastructure, according to a news release from the state board.
The Piedmont Municipal Authority “is undertaking critical water and wastewater infrastructure improvements to support the city’s rapid growth, with the population expected to increase by 162% in the next 25 years,” according to the news release.
The release reads, “the funds will be used for projects including constructing a secondary Oklahoma City water connection with a 600-gpm booster pump station and two miles of 16-inch waterline, building a new elevated storage tank, rehabilitating water wells, and upgrading wastewater systems through sewer line repairs, a wastewater master plan, and new lift stations and interceptor lines. These improvements will enhance service reliability, address current deficiencies, and prepare the community for sustainable development.
Lori Johnson, chief of the OWRB’s Financial Assistance Division, reports the Authority’s customers will save an estimated $6,578,100 compared to traditional financing. The loan shall be secured with a lien on the revenues of the Authority’s Water, Sewer, and a 4 cents Sales Tax.
Local officials attending the OWRB’s monthly meeting in support of the loan application included Mayor Kurt Mayabb and City Manager Josh Willams.
“We really appreciate the OWRB helping us with this funding,” Mayabb said.
State Rep. Denise Crosswhite Hader, R-Piedmont, said the news is a good start toward a better water system in Piedmont.
“Piedmont has been one of the fastest growing areas in Oklahoma for over a decade. With growth comes growing pains. I am pleased to see OWRB working in conjunction with Piedmont to address some of the fundamental water problems,” Crosswhite Hader said. “While this is not an immediate resolution, it is a start to provide much needed water in the area, and that is appreciated.”
Julie Cunningham, the OWRB’s executive director, said, “We are grateful to State Senators Kristen Thompson and Darcy Jech and State Representative Denise Crosswhite-Hader for their support of our financial assistance programs.”
Julie Cunningham, Executive Director of the OWRB said, “We are grateful to State Senators Kristen Thompson and Darcy Jech and State Representative Denise Crosswhite-Hader for their support of our financial assistance programs.”
State Sen. Kristen Thompson, R-Edmond, released the following statement congratulating the Piedmont Municipal Authority for securing $22.6 million in funding to update its aging water and wastewater infrastructure to keep up with the city’s rapid growth.
Thompson helped facilitate conversations between local leaders and state water officials to find solutions that address the immediate need for water system upgrades and improvements in Piedmont.
“As one of the fastest-growing cities in Oklahoma, Piedmont has an increasing number of residents and is in desperate need of critical water and wastewater infrastructure upgrades,” Thompson said. “This is a huge victory for Piedmont that will allow the municipal authority to revamp its existing water and wastewater infrastructure to keep up with the explosion in population growth. I am grateful to city officials for diligently pursuing this funding, and I’m pleased the Oklahoma Water Resources Board is supporting this critical project through its Financial Assistance Program. This is a great example of how the state and municipalities can work hand in hand to make life better for Oklahomans.”
Since 1983, the Oklahoma Water Resources Board has approved over $7.7 billion in loans and grants for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements throughout Oklahoma.
