OKLAHOMA CITY – The Longtown Rural Water & Sewer District No. 1 (District) 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.

The District will utilize the proceeds for the construction of a new 500,000-gallon standpipe. This improvement will increase water storage for residents and businesses within the service area. The estimated cost is $1,000,000 which will be funded by the ARPA grant of $1,000,000.

Joe Freeman, chief of the OWRB’s Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the District’s customers will save an estimated $1,519,600 compared to traditional financing.

The ARPA grant program is administered by the OWRB with funding fromtheU.S.Department of the Treasury and appropriated through Senate Bill 429, Senate Bill 13, and House Bill 2942 for the Water and Wastewater American Rescue Plan Act grants program. This OWRB program has been structured to provide communities and other eligible entities financial resources necessary to address water and wastewater infrastructure needs within their systems. Since 1983 the Water Resources Board has approved over $6.5 billion in loans and grants for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements throughout Oklahoma.

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