Press Release

OKLAHOMA CITY – Roland Utility Authority (Authority) received approval for a $2,276,000 loan with $800,000 in principal forgiveness on Tuesday from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) to improve the Authority’s water infrastructure.  Construction of upgrades and improvements to the water system will be financed by the Oklahoma Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF).

The Authority operates a public water system that relies on a single elevated clearwell for water storage and pressure. Because this tank is the only one serving the community, it cannot be taken offline for routine maintenance or repairs without disrupting service. To address this challenge, the Authority will construct a new 500,000-gallon elevated clearwell and make piping modifications to the existing 1,000,000-gallon tank. This project will provide the redundancy needed to maintain and repair infrastructure without interrupting service. The improvements will help ensure continued water reliability and pressure for Roland residents.

Lori Johnson, chief of the OWRB’s Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the Authority’s customers will save an estimated $2,546,100 compared to traditional financing. The DWSRF loan will be secured with a lien on the revenues of the Authority’s  water, sewer, and sanitation services and a two-cents sales tax.