GPWA receives loan to expand water service to Coyle

The Guthrie Public Works Authority has received a $470,000 principal forgiveness loan through the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) to help finance the expansion of water service to the community of Coyle.  

This funding will be used to extend a waterline approximately 7,100 feet from the existing waterline connecting Guthrie to Langston University to the town of Coyle. The funding will pay for construction and other related financing costs and if the GPWA complies with standard Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF ) requirements in its construction, the entire $470,000 loan will be forgiven.

“The OWRB will use a portion of their DWSRF Capitalization Grant to pay the full DWSRF loan amount for the GPWA due to its regionalization of providing water benefit. Per yesterday’s loan approval, the Department of Environmental Quality has committed to forgiving $470,000 (OWRB approved loan amount),” Guthrie City Manager Sereniah Breland said.

The Guthrie Public Works Authority was created on November 2, 1965, and currently serves 3,740 water customers and 3,087 sewer customers. Maxine Pruitt, Director of the Guthrie Public Works Authority attended the OWRB board meeting in support of the loan application.

In June 2012, residents of Coyle received noticed from the DEQ that their drinking water contained a high level of uranium. Since that time, Coyle officials have unanimously agreed to purchase water from the GPWA. Currently, Coyle receives their water from a well, but the water is not treated.

The Guthrie plant, located 1115 S. Division, can produce about six million gallons of water per day and currently peaks at around two million gallons. It was estimated Coyle would use about 33,000 gallons each day, or one million gallons per month.

Since 1983 the Water Resources Board has approved over $3 billion in loans and grants for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements throughout Oklahoma.

“We are grateful to State Senator AJ Griffin, and Representatives Jason Murphey and Jason Smalley, for their continued support of water and wastewater infrastructure funding in Oklahoma,” J.D. Strong the OWRB Executive Director said.

Breland goes on to say the bid for the Coyle Water Project is scheduled to open on June 26 and if the low bid is more than engineer’s estimate of $470,000, the ODEQ will forgive the additional amount, but the GPWA would be required to go back to the OWRB and request an increase in the loan amount.

Related story: GPWA likely to approve supplying water to Coyle
Related story: DEQ gives water notice to Coyle; Guthrie perhaps solution