STILWELL, Okla. – Cherokee Nation leaders joined officials from the City of Stilwell and the State of Oklahoma to officially break ground on a new $26 million water treatment plant in Stilwell on April 15. The Cherokee Nation contributed more than $12 million in funds to the project from tribe’s federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars.
The new state-of-the-art facility will replace the city’s aging water treatment center, which was built in the 1960s and is reaching its daily capacity of 2.8 million gallons of water. The new plant will nearly double the city’s capacity, providing up to 5 million gallons of water per day, serving not only the city of Stilwell but also rural water districts throughout Adair County.
“Our local and state partners were quick to listen to the community’s needs and worked hand in hand with us to make the biggest difference possible,” said Cherokee Nation Deputy Chief Bryan Warner. “This collaboration demonstrates the power of coming together to address critical infrastructure needs and ensure a brighter future for our citizens. We accomplish more by working together, and Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. and I share in that effort each day. This is a project that will truly impact generations of families here in Adair County.”
Stilwell Mayor Jean Ann Wright expressed her gratitude for the partnership.
“This will serve a number of Adair County water districts, not just the city, but all the surrounding water districts,” Wright said. “The funding for this project from our partners including the Cherokee Nation and the Oklahoma Water Resources Board is monumental. I can’t thank our supporters enough for helping with this.”
For the 2023-2024 fiscal year, the Cherokee Nation has more than $129 million in active water and wastewater system projects throughout the reservation, working with local and state officials to strengthen and improve access to quality water throughout Northeast Oklahoma.