OKC adjusts budget after 'unusual increase' in water main breaks over past fiscal year

New numbers show water main breaks in Oklahoma City jumped 65% from the previous fiscal year. The city added a $2.6 million budget adjustment to cover costs for repairs and maintenance. 

Oklahoma City’s aging water system is strained by shifting weather and soil 

City leaders said there are a variety of reasons for the increase. However, one of the main issues is its aging pipes. 

In the 2025 fiscal year, OKC experienced 1,022 water main breaks, up from 621 in the previous year. Water main leaks also increased from 2,903 to 3,246. On May 20, OKC’s deputy budget director, Latisha Thompson, requested a budget adjustment for the current fiscal year. 

“We need to increase the expenditure budget for such things as overtime, asphalt, crushed rocks, materials, and supplies,” Thompson said.

Utilities public information manager Jasmine Morris said the “unusual increase” is due to shifting ground from weather changes and the age of the pipes. Morris said, “Shifting ground from weather changes, the age of the pipes, and premature aging of the pipes due to Oklahoma's highly corrosive soil within certain areas of the city, which causes the pipe material to deteriorate more rapidly than in other parts of the city.”

Increasing maintenance investment in OKC’s water lines  

“Although water mains are designed to last close to 100 years, we’ve seen some of them fail sooner than expected due to these conditions,” Morris said. “To address this, the Utilities Department is accelerating its water main replacement program.” 

To provide the scale, the city manages more than 4,000 miles of pipes. Beginning next year, Morris said the city will invest $30 million so it can replace piping with stronger material. 

“Utilities customers can rest assured we not only have a corrective action plan in place — we have a clear understanding of what needs to be done, where the challenges are, and how to solve them,” Morris said. 

City departments face budget reductions, but overall budget increases slightly 

As the city transitions to the next fiscal year, sluggish revenue growth has forced many departments to reduce their budgets. The City’s budget for fiscal year 2026 increased by more than two percent to more than $2 billion. 

The police department has proposed a budget representing an increase from the prior year of 4.19%. The overall budget for the next fiscal year for the Oklahoma City Police is $297,951,282. On June 3, City Council member Katrina Avers asked for a deferral on the proposed new budget. 

“Are we getting value for the money that we’re spending, and that’s an important piece,” Avers said. 

Avers was overruled 6-3 on the deferral, and the council adopted the city’s new budget by a vote of 7-2.  

Looking ahead to 2026 with water main system repairs 

Morris said the city will continue to address its aging infrastructure during the next fiscal year, which begins on July 1. 

“We remain committed to addressing immediate repair needs and investing in long-term solutions that support safe, reliable service for our entire community,” Morris said. “We are working with urgency, and we hope to soon provide a more comprehensive overview on our website via a news release to help explain our plans in greater detail.”