The Chandler MunicipalAuthority was awarded $2.65 million in funding from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) on Tuesday. The grant is through the OWRB American Rescue Plan (ARPA) grant program.
The Municipal Authority approved the application at their monthly meeting on Feb. 11. The funds will go toward the wastewater expansion project that is also being funded by the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma, according to a press release from the OWRB.
Chandler anticipates an increased demand on wastewater flows once the Iowa Tribe’s new casino and hotel open west of the town on Route 66. The upgrade is to accommodate this and includes replacing aging equipment, installing a new flow measurement structure, upgrading digesters, blowers and pumps, and upgrading electrical systems, the OWRB said.
The total cost of the project is expected to be around $5.3 million. In addition to the OWRB funding, the Iowa Tribe will provide $2.65 million to the project. The chief of the OWRB’s FinancialAssistance Division, Lori Johnson, estimated that this would save customers of the Chandler Municipal Authority around $4.275 million compared to traditional financing.
The ARPA grant program is managed by the OWRB with funding from the U.S. Department of the Treasury and appropriated through the American Rescue Plan Act grants programs.