Press Release

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Rural Water, Sewer and Solid Waste Management District No. 3, Dewey County, Oklahoma (District) in Dewey County received approval for a $110,000 Rural Economic Action Plan (REAP) grant on Tuesday through the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) to improve the District’s water infrastructure.

The District operates a water system that is currently under strain due to aging wells and the recent loss of its emergency backup well, which was taken out of service after it began pumping sand. To restore capacity and improve system reliability, the proposed project includes drilling a new production well, constructing a well house with a dedicated chlorination room, installing 500 linear feet of waterline, and adding a 50kW generator to ensure continued operation during power outages. This investment will help secure a dependable and safe water supply for the community. The estimated cost of the project is $231,641.50 which will be funded by the OWRB REAP grant in the amount of $110,000.00 and $121,641.50 from local funds.

Lori Johnson, chief of the OWRB's Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the grant will save the Authority’s customers $197,300 in principal and interest charges by not having to borrow the project funds.