The Oklahoma Rural Water Association (ORWA) responded immediately following the EF4 tornado that struck northwest Oklahoma, including Garfield County and the Enid area, this past Thursday evening.
Beginning first thing Friday morning, ORWA staff initiated direct contact with member water systems and rural community personnel throughout the impacted region to assess damages, identify emergency needs, and provide assistance. Systems contacted included Garfield County Rural Water Districts #5, #6, and #7, along with the City of Enid, Bison, Waukomis, and Garber.
Garfield County Rural Water District #5 quickly notified ORWA that one of its elevated water towers had sustained a direct hit from the tornado. According to district officials, the storm stripped much of the paint from the tower, damaged several base brackets, and caused the structure to shift approximately 5 to 7 inches. Despite the significant impact, the tower was not leaking, and the district was able to continue pumping water and maintaining service to customers.
In response, ORWA immediately deployed Sustainability Specialist Thomas Sedgwick to the site to meet with district personnel, assess structural conditions, document damage, and provide technical support. On Monday, ORWA AG Specialist Kelly Matheson also met onsite with district staff and a certified tank inspection company to complete a full interior and exterior inspection of the damaged tower. Following the inspection, it was determined that the tower’s overall structural integrity remained sound and that it continued to meet operational standards.
Throughout the weekend and into Monday, ORWA staff remained in constant communication with local systems and provided onsite assistance as needed to ensure uninterrupted delivery of safe, quality drinking water to residents in the affected communities.
“All of this assistance is provided to rural systems at no cost because of the strategic alliance partnership between ORWA and the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, along with the continued support of the Oklahoma Legislature,” said Jimmy E. Seago of ORWA. “This partnership represents one of the most efficient and coordinated uses of state funding to protect critical infrastructure, safeguard public health, and strengthen rural economic resilience.”
“These services are currently offered at no cost because our funding model is specifically designed to support communities that often cannot absorb additional financial burdens while still maintaining essential water and wastewater services,” Seago added.
Since 1970, ORWA has served as Oklahoma’s leading provider of technical assistance, operational support, emergency response, and training for rural water systems, wastewater systems, and rural communities statewide. ORWA also works closely with state and local leaders to help address constituent water and wastewater concerns during both routine operations and emergencies.
For more information about ORWA and its emergency response services, please contact:
Oklahoma Rural Water Association
(405) 672-6552
www.orwa.org