How Native American Tribes Are Easing Small Town Water Worries in Oklahoma

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Credit Logan Layden / StateImpact Oklahoma

Duane Smith, water consultant for the Chickasaw Tribe, in front of Hillside Spring at the Chickasaw National Recreation Area in Sulphur, Okla.

Oklahoma’s water infrastructure needs are daunting, and replacing wastewater treatment plants, filtration systems, and pipelines is expensive.

That’s especially for smaller communities with just a few thousand residents to cover millions of dollars in costs.

There is federal and state aid available, but for some, turning to tribal governments is also an option.

Listen to the story at StateImpact Oklahoma