I never said there is no such thing as a leaky basement, or an area where it was tougher to install cellars than another area. In the story you recount, a single or a few inexperienced contractor(s) could account for lots of bad installations in the same neighborhood.

The problem is that there is a near-universally held opinion here that basements are just about impossible throughout OKC and Oklahoma, and it is simply not true & based on inaccurate information. Overall it is no more difficult to build a basement here than it is in most parts of the country, but it is more expensive than many places for the reasons I previously mentioned. Shallower excavation/foundation requirements here lead to less "free" opportunity to include a basement and more relative expense to a project if considered. If considering additional expense, buyers would rather spend it elsewhere. The lack of basement demand leads to fewer experienced contractors, which in turn compounds the expense issue.

If you don't believe me that the actual ENGINEERING involved in basement construction is overall no more difficult in Oklahoma than it is elsewhere, believe builder Caleb McCaleb, and Mike Hancock, the basement specialist quoted in this article in today's Oklahoman:

...But misconceptions cloud the reality that basements still are options for houses in Oklahoma, said Edmond builder Caleb McCaleb of McCaleb Homes.

“I think there are many myths about why we don’t have basements in Oklahoma. The main ones are that our water table is too high and that our soil has too much clay in it,” McCaleb said. “If the basement is designed correctly, then water intrusion and ground movement are not problems with a residential basement. The walkout basements that we put in some of our homes are finished living spaces that look and feel just like the rest of our new homes.”
“Building a home with a basement in Oklahoma is not that different than in other areas of the nation,” said Hancock, an engineer and former Kansan who moved here with basement-building already under his belt. “With proper engineering and design, a basement can be adapted and constructed on any building site.”

On the Basement Contractors website, Hancock outlines three points he has been making for years:

• “Basements leak” — “Not necessarily ... improperly installed basements leak. In the past, many basements were installed with either no waterproofing or ineffective waterproofing. Today we use state-of-the-art, spray-on polymer liners and drainage systems that ensure your lower-level living space will remain dry and comfortable.”

• “The clay soils will cause my basement foundation to fail” — “No matter where a basement is located, soil condition must be addressed. The use of properly installed waterproofing methods and the reinforcing steel we use in our walls help prevent any potential problems later.”

• “Basements are dark and damp” — “A properly installed heating and cooling system can prevent the damp feeling and wall sweating that was common in older basements.”