On Saturday, July 27, an unexpected event led to a significant water outage in Rural Water District 2 (RWD#2) in Preston. At precisely 10:30:01 a.m., an anomaly caused a drastic drop in suction pressure, forcing the district to shut down its pump due to insufficient water flow through the master meter. This incident, coupled with a decreased water volume from the City of Okmulgee, rendered it impossible to serve both RWD#2 and District 7 simultaneously.

Valerie Rice of RWD#2 explained the sequence of events: “We conducted numerous tests in the master house, checking every component to scientifically identify the problem. On Monday, two technicians from Pump & Motor Works of Okmulgee verified that the main pump at our pump station was functioning properly. A line test confirmed that there was no loss of pressure from the master meter to the pump station, confirming the issue was with the water supply from the City of Okmulgee.”

To provide clarity, Rice elaborated on the infrastructure: “The master house is where our line connects to the City of Okmulgee’s meter. This is where we purchase water from Okmulgee, which is shared with District 7 and District 6. Currently, the master house only serves two districts because District 6 is not drawing any water, as they have an alternative feed. The PSI should be evenly distributed among the three districts, but at the moment, it is only serving District 2 and 7.”

Adding to the complexity of the situation, District 7 experienced a significant leak that was repaired on Sunday. This leak drained their tower, causing them to pump constantly and impacting the water supply balance. Okmulgee had one known leak isolated on July 27, and it wasn’t until August 1 that they found another leak on the main feed, which increased RWD#2’s volume.

Addressing rumors about the cause of the outage, Rice clarified, “People are saying Okmulgee shut us off or that we did not pay our bill and they cut us off. Brian Dudley assured me that it would be a long, long time before that would ever happen, if it would ever happen at all. Such a situation would likely lead to a legal battle involving the DEQ.”

Rice expressed gratitude for the dedication and hard work of everyone involved in resolving the issue: “I mean, I just got to say, we got some outstanding staff here, and the city manager has been with us every step of the way while we work the issues out. Brian Dudley even came off his vacation a day early to help resolve the problem. That’s dedication right there.”

Looking ahead, RWD#2 has secured $1.2 million in matching funds from the tribe, facilitated through Indian Health Services and the Oklahoma Water Board. This funding will be used for infrastructure improvements, including upgrades to the pump station and emergency equipment.

“Our engineer is finalizing the design, and DEQ representatives are positive about expediting the permit for our project,” Rice said. “We’re working on some exciting things to combat future outages and shorten downtime.”

Rice also recounted the challenges faced by RWD#2 in the past, particularly after a fire in 2016 that destroyed the water office and most of the records. “After the fire, I volunteered to ensure their computer data was properly backed up, as there had been no billing records backed up since 2013. The water office has literally been rebuilt from the ashes.”

In closing, Rice extended her thanks to the emergency management teams, fire departments, and individuals who supported RWD#2 during the outage. “We have built some good alliances, and the City of Tulsa is willing to donate equipment. I also want to thank our dedicated staff, board directors, and engineers for their unwavering support and hard work.”

She thanked Okmulgee County Emergency Management, Muscogee Nation, Muscogee Nation Emergency Management, Twin Hills Fire Dept., Robert Pinkston and Preston Fire Department, Ernie Sharp, and First Baptist Church of Preston. Thanks to Okmulgee Fire Department for running line and hydrant flow test.

The water outage in RWD#2 was a challenging event, but with the combined efforts of various teams and the secured funding for improvements, the district is taking significant steps to prevent future occurrences and ensure a more reliable water supply for its residents.