The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded $14,226,000 to the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) to fund drinking water systems throughout the state. The amount is awarded through EPA’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, which gives states low-interest, flexible loans for drinking-water projects. ODEQ will use the funds to provide loan assistance to eligible public water systems for infrastructure improvements, technical assistance for small systems, program management, and administrative assistance. Earlier this year, the state of Oklahoma received an additional $11.33 million from EPA for clean-water projects. Since 1996, the DWSRF has helped provide the nation’s community water systems with funding to install and improve drinking-water infrastructure and treatment facilities. The program emphasizes providing funds to small and disadvantaged communities to ensure they can provide safe drinking water to their customers. 2014 marks the 40th anniversary of the Safe Drinking Water Act. One in three Americans get their drinking water from public systems that rely on seasonal and rain-dependent streams. EPA is taking public comment on a rule to help protect our nation’s waters. For more information please visit: www.epa.gov/uswaters. For more information about EPA’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program: http://water.epa.gov/grants_funding/dwsrf/index.cfm-----
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