The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (CNO) celebrated the completion of its first water systems project funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and state contributions, marking a significant step toward improving water infrastructure on the reservation.
In partnership with the Oklahoma Department of Energy and Environment, officials recently completed the Broken Bow Water Authority project, which involved the installation of 6,705 feet of 24-inch water main line pipes along Highway 259A. This new infrastructure increased Broken Bow’s capacity to supply water to McCurtain Rural Water District (RWD) 5 in Hochatown and McCurtain RWD 6 in Smithville.
The Broken Bow project is just one of 15 planned water systems projects across the Choctaw Nation reservation. Through these projects, CNO has allocated over $28 million in ARPA funding to enhance water infrastructure in seven counties.
When combined with matching state funding, the total investment in these water system improvements exceeds $48 million to improve water distribution and quality across southeastern Oklahoma.
Additional communities that will receive funding to improve water infrastructure include:
- Town of Talihina
- Bryan County Rural Water District #2
- Bryan County Rural Water District #5
- Stringtown Public Water Authority
- Pushmataha County Rural Water District #1
- Sardis Lake Water Authority Phase I and II
- Pittsburg County Rural Water District #8
- Town of Garvin
- McCurtain County Rural Water District #6
- Latimer County Rural Water District #2
- Atoka Rural Water District # 4
- Pushmataha County Rural Water District #3
- LeFlore County Rural Water District #17
“The Choctaw Nation always looks for ways to improve life and economic development in our communities,” Choctaw Nation Chief Gary Batton said. “Helping to provide clean, reliable water is one of a government’s most important functions, and we are glad to play our part.”
Completing the Broken Bow project is a significant milestone in the Choctaw Nation’s broader efforts to ensure access to safe and reliable water systems for communities across the reservation. These investments in water infrastructure will have long-lasting benefits for the people of southeast Oklahoma.