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Description
This study for central Oklahoma identified a sustainable water supply that could provide water for about one-third of Oklahoma citizens for the next 50 years. The study also determined how much water is needed for future demand.
A
Water,
it's
the
one
critical
element
that
ties
us
all
together.
A
clean
water
supply
is
the
basis
of
our
communities
and
a
key
component
in
determining
where
and
how
we
live
since
the
settling
of
Central
Oklahoma.
More
than
120
years
ago,
water
has
been
a
driving
factor
in
deciding
where
to
develop
homes
and
businesses
in
order
for
Central
Oklahoma
to
continue
to
improve
our
quality
of
life,
provide
for
our
health
and
safety,
spur
economic
development
and
ensure
our
individual
and
collective
prosperity.
A
The
time
is
now
to
make
a
plan
for
generations
to
come,
but
getting
new
water
takes
substantial
time
and
money.
So
a
number
of
Central
Oklahoma
communities
have
joined
together
in
a
cooperative
effort
to
explore
ways
to
acquire
and
transport
the
water
they'll
need
in
the
future.
This
collective
spirit
brought
about
the
regional
raw
water
supply
study
for
Central
Oklahoma.
This
study
was
undertaken
not
to
make
a
single
recommendation
but
to
offer
the
participating
communities
and
understanding
of
their
options,
allowing
them
to
make
the
best
informed
decisions.
A
The
project
as
a
whole
can
be
broken
down
into
two
simple
questions:
why
and
how?
Why
is
additional
water
needed
and
how
can
those
needs
be
met?
The
answers
to
these
questions
will
ultimately
lead
the
communities
to
their
decision.
Why
is
answered
by
a
look
at
the
projected
water
source
and
infrastructure
demands
over
the
next
50
years?
The
demand
for
water
in
Central
Oklahoma
is
expected
to
more
than
double
by
the
year
twenty
thirty.
A
2020
may
seem
far
off,
but
when
you
consider
how
long
it
takes
to
build
a
huge
pipeline,
more
than
100
miles
long
time
becomes
a
critical
factor.
The
next
question
is
how
how
do
we
get
the
water
and
from
where?
How
do
we
move
the
water
and
how
much
will
it
cost
to
answer
for
water
source
delivery
options
were
studied
all
taking
water
from
Sardis
Lake
to
Lake
kotoka.
A
The
option
that
was
favored
by
the
communities
participating
in
the
project
is
also
the
most
economical
choice
and
involves
capturing
water
from
the
free-flowing
kiamesha
River
downstream
from
lakes
artists
into
the
McGee
Creek
Reservoir
area
for
conveyance
into
the
new
pipeline.
Then
we
must
answer
the
question
of
how
to
get
this
water
to
our
communities.
A
Historically,
communities
have
invested
millions
of
dollars
to
secure
and
transport
individual
water
sources.
This
project
focused
on
maximizing
the
investments
already
made
by
the
participants
in
existing
infrastructure
and
blending
resources
to
the
greatest
extent
possible.
The
existing
pipeline
oklahoma
city's
atoka
pipeline
will
not
be
able
to
carry
the
volume
required
there
for
a
new
parallel
pipeline
must
be
built
to
provide
for
future
needs.
The
cost
will
be
divided
among
the
participating
communities
in
accordance
with
how
much
water
they
indicated.
A
With
the,
why
and
the
how
questions
answered
we
began
to
identify
any
obstacles
that
may
stand
in
the
way
of
meeting
central
Oklahoma's
future
water
needs.
The
first
obstacle
was
water
quality
federal
guidelines
state
that
water
studies
must
be
completed
in
order
to
ensure
that
the
quality
of
the
new
water
will
not
degrade
the
existing
water
sources,
even
though
we
know
that
the
quality
of
the
potential
sources
in
southeastern
Oklahoma
is
much
higher
than
that
of
our
existing
water
sources.
A
These
studies,
which
can
be
a
long
and
tedious
process,
must
be
completed
to
comply
with
the
guidelines.
The
next
obstacle
is
complying
with
the
US
Fish
and
Wildlife
Services
Endangered
Species
Act.
This
requires
us
to
determine
if
any
aspect
of
the
project
would
harm
the
habitat
of
any
threatened
or
endangered
species.
An
evaluation
of
the
option,
most
favored
by
the
group,
identified
several
species
that
require
additional
studies
and
or
permits
the
kiamesha
River
is
home
to
three
species
of
freshwater
mussels
that
must
be
protected.
Other
threatened
and
endangered
species
live
along.
A
The
projected
path
of
the
proposed
pipeline,
such
as
the
American
burying
beetle,
the
Arkansas
River
shiner
and
several
species
of
birds,
these
additional
studies
to
ensure
the
protection
of
these
species,
will
require
both
time
and
money.
The
final
obstacle
is
the
overall
cost
to
complete
the
project.
A
All
capital
costs
associated
with
the
project,
including
acquiring
transporting
treating
and
delivering
the
water
as
well
as
operating
and
maintaining
the
system,
were
estimated.
These
costs
were
then
allocated
to
each
participating
community
based
on
their
projected
needs.
The
biggest
expense
is
delivering
the
raw
water
from
southeast
Oklahoma
to
the
metro
area.
As
mentioned,
a
new
pipeline
parallel
to
the
atoka
pipeline
is
proposed.
Pump
stations
will
also
be
required
to
convey
the
water.
The
estimated
cost
for
the
new
line
parallel
to
the
existing
atoka
pipeline
is
approximately
1
billion
dollars.
A
This
pipeline
should
be
operational
by
2020
by
2030.
The
new
source
water
rights
should
be
acquired
and
the
improvements
necessary
to
allow
delivery
should
be
implemented.
The
estimated
cost
for
this
phase
ranges
between
300
and
450
million
dollars.
The
cost
to
each
of
the
participants
is
dependent
upon
whether
they
choose
to
receive
raw
or
treated
water
costs,
for
the
various
options
were
provided
to
the
individual
participants
system.
Operational
costs
were
also
assessed.
The
greatest
operational
expense
will
be
the
cost
to
transport.
A
This
brings
us
to
today
where
we
are
faced
with
some
important
decisions,
decisions
that
will
impact
the
future
prosperity
of
our
communities
in
order
to
meet
the
individual
and
collective
needs
of
our
communities.
We
must
work
together.
Expeditiously
first,
cities
that
want
to
participate
should
join
the
Oklahoma
Regional
Water,
Utilities
trust.
These
founding
trust
members
will
purchase
water
rights.
Future
participants
will
join
as
customers
only
eligible
to
purchase
water
from
the
trust.
A
Once
the
trust
is
formalized
and
an
overall
program
management
strategy
is
developed,
several
things
must
be
initiated
or
completed
within
the
next
few
years.
These
include
securing
water
rights,
finalizing
the
source
and
delivery
alternatives,
selecting
pipeline
routes,
completing
environmental
studies
and
acquiring
land.