Pawhuska Public Works Authority

PROJECT PURPOSE

The City of Pawhuska (City) and the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) entered into a Consent Order, Case number 21-006 in order to correct violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act. Correcting the violations will require the addition of a new clarifier and modernize their Water Treatment Facility to run more efficiently. The City is currently rehabilitating their 2-million gallon ground storage tank and is about to complete the upgrade of Pawhuska Lake Dam Improvements project. Receiving a grant for this project will lessen the financial burden of the City as it prepares to make other improvements to their wastewater treatment plant pump station.

EVIDENCE

Upgrading the water treatment plant in accordance with ODEQ construction standards along with improving the operation of the plant by automating the plant will allow the facility to run longer at lower flow rates which has shown to improve overall performance and achieve compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act.

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

The citizens of Pawhuska drink water provided by the Pawhuska WTP. The drinking water produced by the WTP contains disinfection-products including trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids at levels higher than allowed by EPA. Studies have shown drinking water containing high levels of these contaminants can cause cancer. EPA considers the water safe at levels of 60 ppb of haloacetic acids and 80 ppb for trihalomethanes. Those disproportionately impacted are those families that cannot afford to buy bottled water and therefore must drink water that may contain a known carcinogen.

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

The project will require plans and specifications submitted and approved by DEQ. We will then bid the project in accordance with the State Competitive Bidding Act which will include a schedule for completion. It is anticipated the project will take 12 month once bid. Additional funds required to finance the project will be provided by the City or a combination of City and DWSRF funds. The project manager will be the City's engineer and a project schedule will be submitted by the contractor as to sequence of events required to complete the project. The City's engineer will provide management throughout the project as well as inspection. Pay requests will not be released until the engineer has made a site visit and concurs with the contractor on work accomplished.

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

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