RWD 8 water line upgrading

The McClain County Rural Water District No. 8 received approval for $1,000,000 in funding Tuesday 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 $860,375 in McClain County ARPA funds. 

The district operates a water treatment plant and the towns of Byars, Maysville, and Wayne are interested in purchasing water from the District.

These proceeds will be used to drill a new water well with a 12-inch transmission line to the water plant, two new water filters and housing.

Joe Freeman, chief of the OWRB’s Financial Assistance Division, calculated the district’s customers will save an estimated $1,553,200 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 $7.3 billion in loans and grants for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements throughout Oklahoma.

“We are grateful to State Legislators from the McClain County area for their continued support of our financial assistance programs,” said Executive Director of the OWRB Julie Cunningham.