Press Release

The Commerce Development Authority Receives $670,000 Wastewater System Loan from the OWRB

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Commerce Development Authority (Authority) received approval for a $670,000 loan on Tuesday from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) to improve the Authority’s wastewater infrastructure. Construction of upgrades and improvements to the wastewater system will be financed by the Oklahoma Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF).

The Authority owns and operates a public water distribution system and a sewer collection system. Many of the system’s existing water meters have exceeded their useful life, resulting in slippage and slow registration, while also contributing to approximately 25% system-wide water loss. The approved project will replace approximately 950 outdated manual-read meters with Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) technology, which allows for more accurate and efficient water usage monitoring and leak detection. These upgrades will help reduce water loss, improve operational efficiency, reduce unintended flows to the wastewater treatment plant, protect local water resources, and strengthen the long-term water system reliability for residents and businesses throughout the service area.

Water meters are eligible for funding through the CWSRF as water efficiency and conservation projects. By accurately measuring water use and helping reduce unnecessary consumption, metering systems can decrease the volume of wastewater requiring treatment, lowering energy demands and helping communities maximize existing treatment capacity.

Lori Johnson, chief of the OWRB’s Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the Authority’s customers will save an estimated $210,500 when compared to traditional financing. The CWSRF loan will be secured with a lien on the revenues of the Authority’s water and sewer services, 2 cents sales and use tax, and will include a mortgage on the water and sewer systems.