OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – STV today announced it broke ground on the next major segment of the Second Atoka Pipeline, the largest municipal water infrastructure project in Oklahoma history and a crucial investment in long-term water security for millions of residents and businesses across the state. As the design and construction management lead for the Oklahoma City Water Utilities Trust (OCWUT), STV is delivering one of the longest and most complex segments of the 100-mile pipeline, a 15-mile segment between the Coalgate and Stonewall pump stations.
“This project is about building resilience into Oklahoma City’s water system,” said Richard Taylor, construction management lead at STV. “We’re pioneering techniques that will keep highways open, protect natural resources and connect communities while building a system that will secure water for generations.”
The project adds a new 72‑inch steel pipeline next to the existing 60-inch pipeline, expanding water capacity while minimizing land and community impacts. The firm is deploying trenchless construction methods for more than 3,600 linear feet of tunneling – about 12 football fields long – to navigate streams, highways and rail lines while minimizing disruption and protecting sensitive environmental areas. The company’s water and geotechnical teams are providing engineering, utility coordination, surveying, environmental compliance and construction management services, including oversight of 16 active tunneling operations.
“Strong communities depend on systems that are planned, managed and delivered with intention,” said Andrew Mishler, civil engineer with The City of Oklahoma City. “By engaging experienced partners like STV, we’re advancing infrastructure that supports stability and opportunity well into the future.”
Scheduled for completion in 2028, the Second Atoka Pipeline will initially deliver up to 90 million gallons of water per day, strengthening system redundancy and supporting long-term growth. The new pipeline runs parallel to the original Atoka pipeline built in the 1960s, which currently supplies 70% of Oklahoma City’s drinking water, and will be supported by multiple new pump stations to meet rising demand through 2060.
The Second Atoka Pipeline is a cornerstone of OCWUT’s long-term water strategy, designed to meet rising demand and strengthen resilience against drought and other future challenges. STV has supported Oklahoma City’s water and wastewater infrastructure needs since the early 2000s, with a local team currently involved in several major projects. Signature projects include the Hefner Water Treatment Plant, the South Canadian and North Canadian Wastewater Treatment Plants and the Deer Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant.
For more than 45 years, STV has delivered integrated management strategies for water, wastewater, water resources and resource recovery projects, including the award-winning Vista Ridge Regional Supply Project in San Antonio, Texas; the Owasso Wastewater Treatment Plant in Owasso, Oklahoma; the Walnut Hill Pump Station in Dallas, Texas and the Red Hook Wastewater Resource Recovery Facility in New York City.
