Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Broken Arrow public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
50 issues in water utilities
Haikey Creek Lift Station Phase IV upgrade
The joint lift station serving both Tulsa and Broken Arrow flows is severely undersized. The Phase IV project will rebuild it to handle 42 million gallons per day.
Highway 51 Sewer Extension Agreement
A resident's complaint over a year ago revealed that industrial wastewater — including Blue Bell Creameries' releases — was backing up into homes during rain events. The new sewer line reroutes the entire industrial park's waste away from the neighborhood.
Private pond spillway improvements at 8451 South 9th Street
A private pond dam built without permits overtops repeatedly and sits on top of the city's main 60-inch sanitary sewer line — the pipe carrying roughly 90 percent of flow to the Lynn Lane plant. The city won't pay to build a private spillway, but may cost-share riprap to protect its manhole.
Ninth Street storm sewer improvements underway
A previously approved project to capture water crossing Ninth Street from about 17 acres near Indian Springs is moving forward — materials are being ordered and construction will be scheduled soon, which the 8451 South 9th Street homeowner says should ease his front-yard flooding.
Legacy 1970s drainage systems flooding homeowners
Three of the four cases involved neighborhoods platted in the 1970s, before Broken Arrow had drainage design criteria — meaning water sheets across multiple lots into private yards in ways the city would never approve today. The committee is deciding when those legacy problems rise to a public benefit worth city money.
Turtle Creek Subdivision drainage study funding
The committee was to consider recommending the City Council fund a drainage study for the Turtle Creek Subdivision. A study is usually the first step toward fixing flooding or drainage problems in a neighborhood.
Swan Lake Addition drainage improvements funding
The agenda called for the committee to consider recommending DENIAL of funding for drainage improvements in Swan Lake Addition. If confirmed, that would mean no city money directed there for now.
$27.93 million OWRB loan for water and sewer projects
The board approved multiple contracts and property easements for water treatment plant upgrades, trunk line improvements, and elevated storage tank construction to maintain reliable utility services.
Elm Creek Trunk Line Improvements
Cherokee Pride Construction got the contract to replace manholes on the County Line trunk sewer from Washington Street to Houston Street. Aging manholes can leak groundwater into the sewer system, so this saves treatment costs down the line.
Verdigris River Water Treatment Plant Upgrades
A services agreement with Haynes Equipment Company will upgrade the telemetry and SCADA systems that let staff remotely monitor and control water and sewer infrastructure.
Lead and Copper Rule School Sampling
A services agreement with TruePani, Inc. was scheduled to help with lead and copper water sampling at schools and child care facilities — a public health measure for kids.
2-3 MG Elevated Storage Tank Project
The council backed Tulsa County's push for an $8 million FEMA grant to raise a mile of Garnett Road and the 101st intersection five feet against flooding. It costs Broken Arrow nothing but could fix a congestion and flooding headache on the city's edge.
Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Improvements
The board approved multiple contracts and property easements for water treatment plant upgrades, trunk line improvements, and elevated storage tank construction to maintain reliable utility services.
ODEQ Consent Order Case No. 25-253
A variance or appeal case before the Board of Adjustment got pushed to March because the board didn't have enough members present. Anyone following this case will have to wait another month for a decision.
Houston Street closure for Old Town waterline work
A narrow stretch of Houston Street (81st Street) between 79th Street and South Winwood Lane closes for about four weeks while crews rebuild the road. It'll be a detour headache for commuters, but the roadway — recently inherited from Wagoner County — was in very poor shape.
Elm Place water transmission line extension
A 16-inch water transmission line is being extended along Elm Place between Florence Street and Miami Street to strengthen water capacity as part of the city's capital plan and loan program. Bolding Construction won the job with the low bid of about $1.08 million.
Fleet HVAC renovation and lift station rehabilitations
A consultant agreement with Holloway, Updike, and Bellen covers rehabbing the Dresser Rand lift station, the equipment that pumps sewage uphill through the system. Rehabbing it keeps the wastewater flowing and avoids costly failures.
Utility easement closures near Houston Street and Aspen Avenue
Ordinances 3957 and 3958 would permanently close two utility easements on property north of East Houston Street and east of North Aspen Avenue, freeing the land for other use.
Freeport Date Channel Clearing easements
A channel draining 175 acres is choked with debris and downed trees, pushing about 18 inches of water through a homeowner's backyard. $50,000 is recommended for a one-time clearing, plus maintenance agreements with property owners.
Drainage complaint from Seven Oaks area resident
Resident Chuck Rowland returned with photos showing runoff from the Seven Oaks area flooding neighbors' property, killing trees, and costing him tree removals. The city committed to a staff meeting with him.
Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation Change Order
The city will line aging sewer pipes behind City Hall with epoxy cured-in-place pipe instead of digging them up, extending from East College Street through the alleys between Main and First Streets. About one block of work will happen at night (9 p.m. to 7 a.m.) to avoid disrupting downtown businesses.
Haikey Creek Biosolids Improvements
The $48.2 million project lets the plant Broken Arrow shares with Tulsa process its own sludge instead of trucking it to a Tulsa facility. Costs are split 50/50, with a $9.6 million USDA grant helping, leaving Broken Arrow's share at roughly $19.3 million. Construction takes about two years.
Water Supply Under Extreme Heat
The city manager highlighted how well the water production team is managing demand during extreme heat. Residents benefit from reliable water service, though hot-weather demand puts crews under pressure.
Google Water Grant and Leak Detection
A $795,000 Google grant funds acoustic leak sensors, pressure monitors, a detection vehicle, and a backup generator — aiming to cut lost water 25% and save 120 million gallons a year.
PFAS in Broken Arrow's drinking water system
The authority was scheduled to receive study findings on PFAS — 'forever chemicals' — in the city's drinking water, along with considerations for future response. Depending on the findings, residents could see impacts on water treatment plans and rates.
FROG ordinance update and sewer system protection
An update to the Fats, Rags, Oils, and Grease ordinance was presented to help keep grease and debris out of sewer lines, preventing costly backups and overflows.
Wagner Rural Water District capacity
The Authority is entangled in a legal conflict with Rural Water District No. 5 of Wagoner County over water service to the Grove subdivision, including allegations under federal law (7 U.S.C. § 1926(b)). The board hired Hall Estill to represent it and went into executive session to discuss litigation strategy.
Oak Crest Addition sewer and water line improvements
A change order with Timber Wolf Excavating moves the Oak Crest Addition sanitary sewer and water line project forward, improving infrastructure for that neighborhood.
Rockwood Creek Improved Channel Stormwater Maintenance
A concrete-lined channel's slope is sliding, dropping the fence line next to Vandever Elementary's playground and threatening power poles and the city's detention pond. A feasibility study is recommended.
Natural Gas Commodity Supply (Bid No. 26.161)
The Authority awarded a natural gas supply bid to Symmetry Energy Solutions, securing the commodity that heats homes and businesses in the service area.
June 2026 Utility Compliance Reports
Monthly water supply, wastewater discharge, and solid waste and recycling reports were submitted for acknowledgement — the routine tracking of how the city's utilities are performing.
Broken storm sewer eroding Indian Springs Golf Course
A 1970s corrugated metal pipe serving 14 acres of the Indian Springs 2 subdivision has failed on golf course property, eating away the slope and forcing the club to replace protective fences twice. The committee recommends council fund construction to replace the pipe and rebuild the slope, with work targeted for the dry fall season.
Erosion threat at 3321 W. Commercial Court
Fast stormwater flow is carving a dangerous drop near a homeowner's property line, and the neighbor who once backed the fix pulled out at the last minute. The committee backed shifting construction money back to design to find a workaround that doesn't touch that property.
Emergency sewer repairs in Horseshoe Acres
The city manager signed an emergency services contract with McGuire Brothers Construction for urgent repairs in the Horseshoe Acres subdivision, ratified on the consent agenda.
Omaha Street waterline relocation and road widening
Tulsa County is widening Omaha from Lynn Lane to the county line, and the city has to move its waterline out of the way. The state is picking up about $800,000 of the $1.3 million bill, so the city only covers the rest — freeing up money for other projects.
Clogged storm sewer flooding home near Elm and Washington
A 1970s-era pipe serving a shopping center parking lot clogs and sends water into a homeowner's house. The city cleaned the inlet and jetted the pipe as a stopgap and recommends $12,000 to survey and design a larger system.
Aspen Creek erosion threatening sanitary sewer
Increased runoff from new development (Iron Horse, Chestnut Creek) is eroding Aspen Creek's banks, toppling large trees, and exposing a 36-inch sewer encasement. $75,000 is recommended for clearing and bank armoring.
Inverted-crown street flooding in Cambridge Estates
Streets built with inverted crowns in 1978 dump runoff wall-to-wall through yards and into homes at 8624 S. Harp Boulevard. $60,000 in construction funds is recommended to pipe the flow underground; design is complete.
Undefined 1950s drainage way behind East Midway homes
A drainage path behind roughly 20 downtown-area homes has no easement, no defined channel, and backs water into yards, fences, and one retiree's crawl space and garage. A $75,000 design study is recommended to find a comprehensive fix.
Surfacing groundwater near Houston St and Midway Rd (Forest Ridge)
High groundwater has been pooling in four homeowners' yards since Antler Falls construction began last fall, and the Houston/Midway intersection drains poorly. $50,000 is recommended to hire a consulting engineer for a comprehensive design.
Cox Communications franchise and broadband service
Cox invests $41 million locally over five years, pays $815,000 in annual franchise fees, and its 25-year franchise expires in 2027 — renegotiation is coming.
Drainage improvements in South Fork Estates
Clearing for the new Spring Creek Crossing development increased runoff flowing through older South Fork Estates lots. The developer paid for the design, and the committee recommended turning the city's $25,000 design allocation into construction money.
Turnberry Lift Station Expansion or Elimination Study
Ardurra Group, Inc. was hired as consultant to study whether the Turnberry lift station should be expanded or eliminated.
Adams Creek Reserve F weir reconstruction and East Seattle Court flooding (Case 26-003)
The weir structure behind the Dick's/Target center may not be detaining water as designed, sending peak flows into Westwind backyards near the high school. The committee recommended finishing plans and building the fix.
Westwind Subdivision west-side drainage assistance denial (Case 26-001)
A homeowner asked the city for help with backyard flooding, but the existing storm sewer is a private system the city turned over to the owner years ago. Staff found no public benefit and the committee recommended rejection.
Steeple Chase area storm sewer design overrun (Case 26-002)
A design contract came in $7,755 over what the committee and council authorized — caught during an audit. The committee recommended ratifying the extra spending to finish a 98-percent-complete design.
Spring Creek Crossing Stormwater Dispute
Residents of the South Fork area have raised drainage and stormwater concerns tied to the Spring Creek project. The city, developer, and residents are meeting to work out a cooperative solution.
Jackson to Washington Waterline Replacement Materials
Fortiline won the materials bid for replacing a waterline between Jackson Street and Washington Street. New pipe means better water pressure and fewer breaks for folks along that stretch.
Permanent Flow Monitoring Program
An amendment to RJN Group's agreement keeps the 2025-2026 permanent sewer flow monitoring going. That data tells the city where pipes are overloaded or leaking before problems hit residents.
Haikey Creek Trunk Sewer Rehabilitation Phase II
The Authority hired RJN Group to continue rehabbing the Haikey Creek trunk sewer. This is the big pipe that carries wastewater for the community, so keeping it in good shape helps prevent backups and overflows.