The Sequoyah County Rural Water, Sewer, Gas and Solid Waste Management District No. 7 has received a major boost for its water infrastructure with approval of a $1 million loan that will be fully forgiven, officials announced Tuesday.

The Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) approved the funding on Jan. 20 through the Oklahoma Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), clearing the way for significant improvements to the district’s water storage and delivery system.

According to the OWRB, the district will use the funding to expand and strengthen its water storage capacity by constructing a new 240,000-gallon storage tank alongside its existing 200,000-gallon tank.

The project also includes rehabilitation of the current tank to extend its service life. Together, the upgrades are expected to improve water pressure, enhance reliability and increase the overall resilience of the system. All necessary equipment and related components will be included as part of the project.

Lori Johnson, chief of the OWRB’s Financial Assistance Division, said the loan’s 100 percent principal forgiveness will result in significant savings for local customers.

She estimated that district users will save approximately $1.637 million compared to what the project would have cost under traditional financing.

“This drinking water infrastructure funding is great news for Sequoyah County. There is hardly anything more important than clean drinking water,” Rep. Jim Olsen, R-Roland, said. “We are so thankful.”

Julie Cunningham, executive director of the OWRB, and Rob Singletary, executive director of the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ), also expressed appreciation to Sen. Tom Woods and Sen. Warren Hamilton, along with Reps. Jim Olsen and Rick West, for their support of the DWSRF program.

The DWSRF program is jointly administered by the OWRB and ODEQ and is partially funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Since its inception, the program has provided around $2.4 billion in drink- ing water loans to help Oklahoma communities maintain and improve critical infrastructure.

Since 1983, the Oklahoma Water Resources Board has approved more than $8.6 billion in loans and grants for water and wastewater infrastructure projects across the state, underscoring its long-standing role in supporting safe and reliable water systems for Oklahoma residents.