The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced over $105 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) funding to the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, Oklahoma Water Resources Board for water infrastructure improvements.
“Maintaining water quality infrastructure must continue to remain a high priority among states,” says EPA Regional Administrator Earthea Nance. “We are pleased to see Oklahoma ensure public health by using these funds to improve upon water quality standards. EPA remains committed to working with state partners to safeguard public health and the environment.”
The Oklahoma Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) capitalization grant is being awarded to the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality in the amount of $71,433,624 for their drinking water program. The DWSRF is a financial assistance program to help water systems and states to achieve the health protection objectives of the Safe Drinking Water Act. The focus of the program is to improve drinking water treatment, fixing aging water distribution system, improve sources of water supply and replace or repair water storage tanks.
The Oklahoma Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) capitalization grant is being awarded to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board in the amount of $15,134,000. The CWSRF is a financial assistance program to provide loans to eligible recipients to construct municipal wastewater facilities, control nonpoint sources of pollution, build decentralized wastewater systems, create green infrastructure projects, protect estuaries, and fund other water quality projects. Nearly half of the grant will focus on assisting disadvantaged communities across the state.
At an event at the state capitol in Oklahoma City, EPA Regional Administrator Earthea Nance presented a ceremonial check to Oklahoma’s Secretary of Energy and Environment Ken McQueen, who accepted on behalf of all recipients.
"We are delighted to partner with EPA Region 6 on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). Our highly experienced Oklahoma water professionals at Department of Environmental Quality and Water Resources Board aggressively pursued all of these grant opportunities, which resulted in over one-hundred million dollars of additional funding for communities across Oklahoma,” says McQueen. “These grants will provide much needed assistance in reducing nitrates and manganese from drinking water supplies, as well as providing targeted loan forgiveness in communities needing additional funding assistance.”
The grants are part of the nationwide distribution of water infrastructure funds following the passage of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The BIL allocates more than $50 billion toward repairing the nation’s essential water infrastructure, in turn helping communities access clean, safe, and reliable drinking water, prevent flooding, collect and treat wastewater to protect public health, and safeguard vital waterways.
Capitalization grants will continue to be awarded, on a state-by-state basis, over the course of the next four years. As grants are awarded, the state SRF programs can begin to distribute the funds as grants and loans to communities across their state.
