Broken Arrow accepts $795,000 grant to find and fix water leaks, aims to cut nonrevenue loss 25% by 2030

Broken Arrow’s City Council voted to accept a $795,000 grant Friday to expand leak-detection and resiliency work in the municipal water distribution system.

City staff described the award as part of a nationwide program that selected 165 projects. The project will install an acoustic leak-detection network, add 12 pressure gauges, purchase a dedicated crew vehicle to respond to detections and place a standby generator at the Greenbrier booster station. City staff said the effort is intended to identify and repair leaks proactively and improve system resiliency.

"We are looking to proactively identify and repair water leaks through new technologies," the project presenter said, adding that the city’s goal is a 25% reduction in nonrevenue water loss by 2030. Staff estimated the project could save more than 120,000,000 gallons per year if the measures perform as expected.

Council approved the resolution to accept the award and authorized the city manager to negotiate contracts and return a contract to the council for final approval. The funding will be appropriated into the city's BAM (utility capital) budget as the project moves into procurement and implementation.