The Newcastle Public Works Authority (NPWA) received approval for a $51,819,144 loan last week on Tuesday from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) to improve the NPWA’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 NPWA operates an activated sludge wastewater treatment facility (WWTF) where several components are in need of replacement. These proceeds will be used to construct a new WWTF which will include a force main connecting the old and new WWTFs, a new force main to discharge from the new facility, new headworks with screen and grit removal, an influent lift station, UV disinfection, sludge press, an effluent lift station, cascade aeration, blowers, flow control and measurement, stormwater holding and return, and an administration building. This project will allow the NPWA to expand their wastewater treatment and relocate their discharge point to meet water quality standards for their new permit requirements.
Joe Freeman, chief of the OWRB’s Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the NPWA’s customers will save an estimated $23,318,600 over the life of the 30-year loan compared to traditional financing. The CWSRF loan will be secured with a lien on the revenues of the NPWA’s water and sewer systems and a 2¢ sales tax (already in place). NPWA officials attending the OWRB’s monthly meeting in support of the loan application included City Clerk and attorney to the City Manager, Camille Dowers, and Stuart England, the NPWA’s bond counsel.
England stated, “(In Newcastle) … growth is strong and consistent, and this is a critical infrastructure piece to our plan. We thank the Board for consideration.”
The CWSRF program is administered by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board with partial funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The CWSRF program has provided approximately $2.4 billion in water quality loans to provide communities the resources necessary to maintain and improve the infrastructure that protects valuable water resources statewide.
Since 1983, the Oklahoma Water Resources Board has approved more than $6.5 billion in loans and grants for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements throughout Oklahoma.
“We are grateful to State Senator Jessica Garvin (RDuncan) and State Representative Sherrie Conley (R-Newcastle) for their support of our financial assistance programs,” said Julie Cunningham, executive director of the OWRB.
