Press Release

Citizen Potawatomi Nation Receives $1,052,946 Grant for System Improvements from the OWRB

OKLAHOMA CITY – Citizen Potawatomi Nation (Nation’s) received approval for $1,052,946 in funding on Tuesday from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) to improve the Nation’s water infrastructure.  Construction of upgrades and improvements to the water system will be financed by the OWRB American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant program.

The Nation operates the Pottawatomie County Rural Water District No. Three and is committed to improving the District’s services with two different projects. The first project addresses the Macomb Water Treatment Plant’s current residual holding ponds. These ponds are not sufficient enough to evaporate the backwash flow in future years. The proposed project improves the Macomb Water Treatment Plant with two new backwash ponds with synthetic liners.

The second project improves the Dale Treatment Plant. This plant is experiencing continued growth and needs to increase its capacity with additional water lines. The proposed project includes installing approximately 17, 827 linear feet of 12-inch waterline to the Plant, and all appurtenances required to complete the projects. The
estimated cost of the projects is $2,105,891.71, which will be covered by an OWRB Tribal Match Grant of $1,052,945.86 and Citizen Potawatomi Nation funding of $1,052,945.85.

Lori Johnson, chief of the OWRB’s Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the Nation’s customers will save an estimated $1,658,000.00 compared to traditional financing.