Ardmore celebrates completion of $8.7 million Industrial Airpark water treatment plant

ARDMORE, Okla. (KXII) - The city of Ardmore is celebrating the opening of the Industrial Airpark’s water treatment plant after a $8.7 million project that wrapped up after 15 years of development.

The plant sought to improve the previous technology that had been at the airpark since it was a base. The old plant was essentially a lagoon that wasn’t functioning properly anymore, said Shawn Guerin, assistant city manager.

“We were having trouble meeting our compliance with our discharge permits with DEQ, so we were at the point where we had to upgrade,” Guerin said.

The new plant design is meant to be more efficient in treating the airpark’s waste water.

“We’re going back, we’re cleaning that waste water up to a condition that will meet the state standards and we can put that back into the environment,” Guerin said.

The plant’s completion doesn’t just benefit the airpark’s water system. It’s also a stepping stone in its long-term development to bring new businesses to the area.

City officials say the new plant doubles the airpark’s current wastewater capacity at about 200,000 gallons a day. This allows additional developments to be brought to the airpark, which in turn leads to more jobs opening up and the local economy growing.

“It has to start with things like this, it has to start with this type of infrastructure in order for it to happen. A city that’s really serious about growth invests in projects like this,” said John Credle, mayor of Ardmore.