OKC Utilities earns AMWA Sustainable Water Utility Management Award

Published on November 12, 2026

The Oklahoma City Utilities Department has received the 2026 Sustainable Water Utility Management Award from the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA). This marks the Department’s third AMWA award recognizing excellence in utility management and reflects its ongoing commitment to continuous improvement.

“We are honored to be recognized as one of the top-performing water and wastewater utilities in the United States,” said Oklahoma City Water Utilities Trust (OCWUT) General Manager and Utilities Director Chris Browning. “This award reflects the dedication of our more than 800 employees who serve our community every day.”

The Sustainable Water Utility Management Award is the third level in AMWA’s series of progressive utility management awards. It recognizes utilities that balance economic, social and environmental priorities, including responsible resource management, public health protection, service to the community and cost-effective services to ratepayers. Peer utilities evaluate applicants on criteria that include financial management and social and environmental responsibility.

Reviewers cited strong financial position, commitment to workforce development, significant infrastructure investment and consistently high customer satisfaction as key factors in their decision to select the Department for the award.

“This is a challenging time for utilities across the country, who must balance capital planning, resource allocation, affordability and system resiliency while navigating multiple external pressures,” said Browning. “Our responsibility is to weigh those demands carefully and make decisions that serve our customers and region well over the long term.”

OCWUT received AMWA’s Gold Award in 2017 and the Platinum Award in 2021. The Sustainability Award was presented to OCWUT on Oct. 26 at the AMWA Executive Management Conference in Seattle, Washington.

Excellence in Sustainable Utility Management

As Oklahoma’s largest drinking water provider, OCWUT delivers an average of 100 million gallons of water each day to more than 1.5 million people across Central Oklahoma. The Trust’s long-standing AAA/Aaa bond ratings reflect its disciplined financial practices and support a comprehensive five‑year (FY2027-2031), $2.2 billion capital improvement program.

Key projects include:

The 100‑mile, 72‑inch second Atoka Pipeline
An interconnection of the Draper and Hefner water treatment plant service areas for improved resiliency
Increased budget for citywide water main replacement program
Upgrades to OCWUT’s two water treatment plants and four wastewater treatment plants

These strategic investments support long‑term system resilience and ensure reliable access to drinking water.