The Town of Sasakwa has received approval Tuesday for a $135,382 Rural Economic Action Plan (REAP) grant through the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) to improve the town’s water infrastructure.

Sasakwa operates a public water distribution system that provides service to local residents and the surrounding community. Water Tower #1, a key part of the system’s operation, is more than 30 years old and requires rehabilitation to maintain safe and reliable water service. The proposed project will sandblast and re-coat both the interior and exterior of the water tower to protect against corrosion and extend its lifespan. The estimated cost of the project is $149,900 which will be funded by the OWRB REAP Grant of $149,900.

Lori Johnson, chief of the OWRB’s Financial Assistance Division, calculated that the grant will save the Authority’s customers $244,500 in principal and interest charges by not having to borrow the project funds.

“This investment in Sasakwa’s water system will ensure that families and businesses continue to receive dependable service,” said Sen. Grant Green, R-Wellston. “I appreciate the OWRB’s commitment to preserving the infrastructure that small towns depend on.”

“We are grateful to Senator Grant Green and Representative Danny Williams for their continued support of water and wastewater infrastructure funding in Oklahoma,” said Julie Cunningham, OWRB Executive Director.

In August 2022, an emergency well was drilled in Sasakwa following reports that some residents had lacked running water throughout that summer. Town officials had turned the water system on and off every 12 hours to maintain supply during that period.

The Seminole Nation provided more than $60,000 through the tribe’s environmental health services program to fund the well. Sasakwa, which has seen its official population decline from 150 to 80 between the 2010 census and the 2020 census, struck an agreement with the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality to expedite drilling the new water well.

Since 1983 the Water Resources Board has approved over $8.2 billion in loans and grants for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements throughout Oklahoma.