Oklahoma Ordnance Works Authority (dba MidAmerica Industrial Park)

PROJECT PURPOSE

The proposed MidAmerica project will bolster infrastructure at the Industrial Park, improving the existing water storage, treatment, and distribution system and opening new areas for economic development and job creation. Water storage improvements include an additional 2 million gallons of elevated storage each in the West and East service areas of the park to meet increased and future demand. Treatment improvements include: treatment plant #1 electrical redundancy, concrete rehabilitation, a new chlorine dioxide building, water process equipment, and treatment plant #2 electrical redundancy. These planned improvements increase resiliency, water quality, plant safety, and system robustness. Distribution improvements include: new lines in the East and West service areas, a new 24? water line across the South Service Area, and a water loop around the Northeast service area which allows for decommissioning of lines that are known to be in poor condition. At full buildout these newly served development areas have the potential to support thousands of new jobs in the seven county workforce area and substantial private investment within the industrial park. The projects will also tie the existing East and West Service Areas together allowing redundancy in high service pumping and elevated distribution storage throughout the entire MAIP service area. These updates will also serve to improve water quality throughout the park by removing dead ends and increasing water circulation in the entire system.

EVIDENCE

A recent Capital Improvement Plan and water system analysis, attached, completed in 2018 by engineering firm Holloway, Updike, and Bellen, indicated the need for the proposed projects in order to replace poor quality distribution lines, increase water storage to meet demands, improve fire safety, improve system redundancy, and provide essential infrastructure for new development. The proposed interventions meet industry standards for best practices and have been assessed by professional engineers licensed by the State of Oklahoma. Estimated costs from that 2018 study have been updated to reflect 2022 industry costs.

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

Disproportionately impacted individuals include those served by tribal governments; in the counties affected by the proposed MAIP project 96,889 residents were reported as American Indian or Alaska Native by the 2020 Census. The pandemic increased unemployment in the State of Oklahoma from 3.1% to 4.4% as reported by the Oklahoma Municipal League. An estimated 23% of renters statewide are not caught up on rent and 39% of households are having difficulty meeting monthly expenses. The proposed MidAmerica project will provide immediate jobs in construction, increase opportunities for economic development creating long-term jobs, private investment, and increasing the tax base. This results in lower unemployment, higher household incomes, and increased State and local revenue. It will increase fire safety, water storage, flow to nearby communities, and provide clean drinking water.

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

Project performance for the MAIP Water Improvements will be measured in construction milestones as well as new private investment in the improved service areas during the period of performance. MAIP will work closely with engineers, consultants, and contractors to maintain the construction schedule and complete construction within 24 months of award. Through the remainder of the performance period, MAIP will track private investment, job creation, unemployment rates in the seven-county workforce area, and property valuation in the improved service areas and report data to the State of Oklahoma as required by award terms.

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

Able to continue operation without additional funding from the State of Oklahoma