1. SAFE, ABUNDANT WATER IS A PRIORITY FOR OKLAHOMA’S FUTURE Oklahoma Water Resources Board Infrastructure Financing Strategies
Western States Water Council
March 19, 2019
Oklahoma’s economy, security, and quality of life depend on adequate, dependable sources of clean water.
Julie Cunningham
Executive Director

2. Oklahoma Water Resources Board
To protect and enhance the quality of life for Oklahomans by managing and improving the state’s water resources to ensure clean and reliable water supplies, a strong economy, and a safe and healthy environment.
Governor-appointed
Board of Directors
9-member
Executive Director
Administrative Services
Financial Assistance
Water Quality & Monitoring
Planning & Management

3. Financial Assistance Division
$4.2+ billion over 2,193 loans and grants.
Assist communities and rural water districts in financing water and wastewater infrastructure improvements.
Clean Water State Revolving Fund Loans
DW State Revolving Fund Loans (w/ ODEQ)
State Revenue Bond Loan Program Loans
REAP Grants
Emergency Grants
OWRB Loan and Grant Programs
Funding Sources—
Federal dollars
Debt Issuance
Loan Repayments
Interest on Bond Loan Program Reserve
General appropriations***
OWRB programs allow communities access to more aggressive interest rates
This rate is often better than what most systems can get in the open market
SRF AAA and FAP AA+
Access to these rates saves systems and their customers $$$ over traditional financing options

4. CWSRF Loan Program Eligible Entities:
Loan program subsidized by a grant from EPA intended to implement the Clean Water Act
Eligible Projects (may include, not limited to):
Wastewater treatment & Collection
Water Meters
Non-point Source
Stormwater
Dam Rehabilitation
Water Reuse
Eligible Entities:
Counties, Towns, Municipalities, Public Works Authorities , School Districts & Districts formed under Title 82
40% below AAA market rate
CWSRF
2/27/2018
2/27/2019
5 year term
1.91%
1.78%
10 year term
2.17%
1.96%
15 year term
2.36%
20 year term
2.51%
2.34%
30 year term
2.66%
2.55%

5. Loan Forgiveness Available
CWSRF Program Updates
Call for Projects for SFY 2020 Project Priority List (PPL)
Public Meeting May 1pm
Loan Forgiveness Available
Population 3,300 or less
Phase I projects (Planning & Design): Must result in a Permit to Construct
Phase II projects (Construction): Priority given to entities that received Phase I this year

6. Oklahoma City Water Utilities Trust
CWSRF – OKC Utilities Trust - Atoka Reservoir
Project to increase the capacity of the spillway & replace the existing chute.
Improvements to address stormwater drainage issues.
Project Price Tag = $53,250,000
Dam Improvements
Oklahoma City Water Utilities Trust
Design and install a compound labyrinth spillway with wider chute, new stilling basin, and increase the top of the dam.
Non-Point Source (NPS) project for construction to increase the capacity of the Atoka Dam spillway and replace the existing chute.
Being a 319 project, approval was obtained from the Oklahoma Conservation Commission for NPS eligibility

7. DWSRF Loan Program Co-administered with DEQ
Loan program subsidized by a grant from EPA intended to implement the Safe Drinking Water Act
Eligible Entities:
Counties, Towns, Municipalities, Public Works Authorities , School Districts & Districts formed under Title 82
Eligible Projects (may include, not limited to):
Drinking Water Treatment
Distribution
Water Meters
Water Storage
Regionalization/Consolidation
Disinfection By-product (DBP) Correction
Picture-BAMA

8. Loan Forgiveness Available
DWSRF Loan Program
30% below AAA market rate
Loan Forgiveness Available
Up to $100,000 forgiven
For projects to address Disinfectant Byproduct violations
Phase I is available to Parent systems
DWSRF
2/27/2018
2/27/2019
5 year term
2.15%
1.99%
10 year term
2.45%
2.21%
15 year term
2.68%
20 year term
2.84%
2.66%
30 year term
3.02%
2.89%

9. DWSRF – So. Delaware County Regional Water Authority
Regionalization through construction of new treatment plant and additional improvements.
Project Price Tag = $15.7 Million
OWRB Project Amount = $3 Million
DWSRF Loan Forgiveness = $1.8 Million
Other Funds:
RUS Loan - $6.7 Million
RUS Grant - $3.9 Million
IHS Grant - $1.6 Million
Cherokee Nation Grant - $347K
Local Funds - $90K

10. FAP Loan Program Eligible Entities: State revenue bond loan program
Counties, Towns, Municipalities, Public Works Authorities , School Districts & Districts formed under Title 82
Eligible Projects
Any project related to water and/or sewer system improvements or refinancing of existing debt of an eligible entity for these project types.
Can combine water/sewer projects in one loan
Picture-Enid CW
At AAA market rate
FAP
Feb. 2017
Feb. 2019
29.6 year term
3.95%
3.80%

11. FAP Loan Program Updates
New, Flexible Local Reserve Criteria:
Up to 10% of the loan amount
Super Debt Coverage Ratio of 1.4x instead of 1.25x
Minimum credit rating of A- affirmed in last 18 months
Surety policy in the amount of not less than the cash reserve requirement
Picture-Norman CW

12. Emergency Grants Eligible Entities:
Point based program designed to assist systems facing an EMERGENCY as designated in our rules which threaten life, health or property
Eligible Entities:
Counties, Towns, Municipalities, Public Works Authorities , School Districts & Districts formed under Title 82
Maximum grant available $100,000
15% local contribution
Open funding cycle – as funds are available
60 point minimum for approval up to 120
Eligible Projects:
Water supply reservoirs, storage tanks, distribution systems, water/wastewater treatment systems, collection systems…
Picture is at Cherokee-New pumps

13. REAP Grants Eligible Projects:
Point based program designed to assist smaller systems that lack sufficient fiscal capacity
Eligible Entities:
Counties, Towns, Municipalities, Public Works Authorities , School Districts & Districts formed under Title 82
Maximum grant available $150,000
Available for cities or towns with a population of 7,000 or less (population of 1,750 or less have higher priority)
Available for Rural Water Districts with less than 525 non-pasture customers
UPDATES:
Rule Change
Adds Sustainability as a Scoring category
Increases maximum points available from 115 to 125
Eligible Projects:
Water treatment & distribution, wastewater treatment & collection, water acquisition…
Picture is at Kiowa-repainting water tower

14. REAP Grants 10 points if you have and have implemented a FSP
6 points if you have a FSP but have not yet implemented
3 points if you have not developed a FSP but are willing to develop and implement one

16. total lending contributed funds
State $113.7M 3% 4%
OWRB $2.15B 52% 73%
Fed $680.4M 16% 23%
Repayments $1.21B 29%

17. Oklahoma Comprehensive Water Plan
50-year plan characterizing water supplies, demands, options and public policy to meet the needs of all Oklahomans
5-year public input and technical studies process with numerous stakeholders and partners
Overarching State Water Policy Recommendations
Wealth of technical data, information and many technical studies through numerous workgroups
13 Watershed Planning Region Reports
Just as that Joint Legislative Resolution in 1955 sought to understand the concerns over water supply and solutions of citizens, the 2012 Comprehensive Water Planning process conducted the most robust public participation process in state history. After 3 years and thousands of logged comments, this process led to the recommendation of 8 priority policy recommendations.
Today the OWRB, along with many other state and federal agencies, local governments, private companies, and citizens are working to implement those recommendations by our citizens. Our infrastructure financing programs, along with several other government and private lending entities, are making strides to meet our $82 Billion 2060 need for water treatment; our statewide water quality and quantity monitoring networks are tracking the health and availability of streams, lakes, and groundwater like never before; the water supply resiliency goals and funding from the Legislature are allowing us to complete studies of water allocation based on the amount of water stored in our aquifers, the Water for 2060 Act is helping us focus on stretching existing water supplies, finding untapped, marginal quality waters and identifying new conservation, efficiency, and reuse practices in every sector. Today there are also many regional water planning and regionalization efforts ongoing, one of which we will be hearing about tomorrow from the Tulsa area.
With all of our collective input we have built on the groundwork laid by so many people and we will continue doing so if we keep the discussion going!

18. OCWP Priority Recommendation Infrastructure Financing
Address projected $82+ billion water/wastewater infrastructure need by new and rehabilitation
OWRB’s 5 grant & AAA-rated loan capacity to satisfy 60% and specifically address small and medium communities.
In 2012, SQ 764 established Water Infrastructure Credit
Enhancement Reserve Fund to provide additional leveraging capacity to fund more projects!

19. Oklahoma Funding Agency Coordinating Team
Fed. & state water financing agencies—drinking water, sewer, and green projects for public entities.
Meet quarterly to identify best funding source, cross-train funding agencies, adopt streamline application/guidance.
Members
Oklahoma Water Resources Board
USDA Rural Development
Oklahoma Department of Commerce
Oklahoma Council of Governments
Indian Health Service
Community Resource Group
Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality

20. Capacity Development Assistance
Contract with ORWA provides technical assistance, operator/member training, sustainability planning.
Borrower meetings provide compliance guidance, program updates, and upcoming funding opportunities.
Educate systems on funding solutions to help meet Oklahoma’s Water for 2060 goal through non-point source, stormwater, green infrastructure, water/ energy conservation and reuse
Offering new no-cost cloud solution to help loan recipients manage federal labor and contract reporting (Davis-Bacon)
OWRB Marketing Plan selected for EPA pilot program re: state revolving fund marketing and outreach.

21. Financial Assistance Dashboard

22. Thank You! Julie Cunningham – Executive Director
Oklahoma Water Resources Board
3800 North Classen Boulevard
Oklahoma City, OK •
Julie Cunningham – Executive Director
Oklahoma Water Resources Board
3800 North Classen Boulevard
Oklahoma City, OK •

23. for water and wastewater infrastructure
2 grant programs
3 loan programs
for water and wastewater infrastructure
Emergency Grants
Rural Economic Action Plan Grants
Financial Assistance Loan Program (FAP)
Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF)
Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF)