It is important to become involved in Oklahoma’s water resource management because water affects all of us, everyday.  It is easy to take clean water for granted when we turn on the faucet and clean water comes running out.  However, not all Oklahomans have clean, readily available water.

The Oklahoma Water Resources Board is updating the comprehensive water plan.  This plan is the state’s blueprint for managing water resources (lakes, streams, rivers, groundwater, treatment plants, and distribution and collection pipelines) for the next 50 years.  The plan will be used to guide the development and financing of infrastructure to ensure that all Oklahoma communities have sufficient clean water for the foreseeable future.

Unlike some past governmental programs, this water planning effort begins by asking the citizens to tell us what it should deal with.  This is not merely going through the motions to say, “we involved the public.”  Rather, this input forms the basis for setting the agenda for the plan.  If the citizens or the experts do not bring up the issues, they may not be considered in the planning process.

We are asking for citizen input because we want to be certain that the plan considers all of the issues that are important to Oklahomans.