*This feature and information was originally posted on ksibradio.com on November 7, 2023 — some information and/or links may have changed since the original publication.*

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(Osceola) The water situation in Osceola isn’t great. Last month Osceola Water Works Board of Trustees and Water Works team increased water conservation efforts to section 3 – Water Emergency. They also brought city officials and those who know the most current conditions of Osceola’s water supply together for an open “Town Hall Discussion” on the state of Osceola’s water. That meeting was October 26 and is available to watch online from www.OsceolaWaterWorks.com

If the prolonged drought continues, the supply of available water in West Lake will continue to diminish. West Lake is Osceola’s only water source. The Osceola Water Works team along with the city and local officials have been working on solutions to provide access to quality water. West Lake has two intakes – an upper intake and a lower intake. According to coverage of the meeting by the Osceola Sentinel-Tribune, based on the upper intake, there is about a 200-day supply. The lower intake was raised up 4 feet this weekend, adding about 100 days to the supply.

Under the new water restrictions, all outdoor water use, except for fire and health hazard prevention, is prohibited. Residents are restricted to 7,000 gallons of water usage per month, and will pay a $20 premium per 1,000 gallons over $7,000.

Commercial and industrial users are prohibited from using water that is not essential in providing products or services, and are restricted to a decrease in water usage of 3-10% of their monthly usage. They will also incur a premium rate for usage over that amount. Consumer’s water will not be shut off for going over the amount limits.

There are some options being considered. One possibility is recirculating effluent from the new wastewater treatment plant back into the West Lake watershed. The wastewater reuse plan has been submitted to the Department of Natural Resources for review. The hope is that it will quality for federal funding. The cost is estimated at $16.5 million, and an estimated completion in October 2025. If the effluent reuse plan is approved by the DNR, it would be the first of its kind in Iowa.

The effluent would be recirculated on a periodic basis, such as during the winter months to help bring water levels back up in West Lake. City Administrator Ty Wheeler estimated that the recirculation would be about 600-800,000 gallons per day. Data also suggests that the water that would be recirculated into West Lake would be at the same level, or even better, that the current water, as the effluent would be void of nutrients.

The long-term goal is a new reservoir which will supplement West Lake. The safe withdrawal rate from West Lake hovers between 800,000 and 900,000 gallons per day but with population and industry growth across the area, 1.4 million gallons per day is what’s being drawn. Once built, the reservoir, knows as Site 4B, will have a safe withdrawal rate of 2 MGD (Million Gallons per Day.)

The reservoir project has been ongoing for over 30 years and will take more time. A new plan is expected to be done around this time next year. David Beck, project coordinator for the Clarke County Reservoir Commission (CCRC), said Osceola would be looking at minimum of eight years before the City could actually move water out of a new reservoir. The current estimated cost of the project is $92 million, and the commission is looking at receiving over $60 million in federal assistance. All the land and permanent easements have already been acquired for the approximate 789-acre reservoir.

A few alternative water sources have been suggested. SIRWA (Southern Iowa Rural Water Association) provides water for rural Clarke County as well as surrounding counties. SIRWA is in the final stages of a new water treatment plant that could ease some of the burden on Osceola. However, SIRWA’s system isn’t interconnected system-wide, nor does it have the infrastructure to supply the entire city of Osceola.

Other sources considered include Sargent’s Quarry, Arbor Valley Lake, Jordan aquifer, Rathbun Lake and buying water from DesMoines.

Residents expressed concern on what would happen once the 300 days of usable water passes. Osceola Water Works Superintendent Brandon Patterson said that the bottom four feet of the lake can be used (after the lower intake is raised), but it won’t be drinkable water. Once that lower four feet is tapped into, it will provide about 130 days of water. An emergency management notification was drafted into the water conservation ordinance and states that once West Lake has reached a supply of 120 days, Clarke County Emergency Management Coordinator Bryon Jimmerson will be notified to start bringing in bottled water. Jimmerson said that he is in regular contact with the state, and they will be prepared when the day comes that bottled water is needed.

If water levels continue to decrease, the water board may look at entering stage four of water conservation, “Water Crisis-Restrictions.” At this stage, residential users would have a restriction of 5,000 gallons per month, and industrial and commercial users a 10-20% decrease of monthly usage. Premium rates would also increase from $20 to $40 for every thousand over the limit.

Conservation tips were shared and include: turning off the water while brushing teeth or shaving; short showers and baths; running a full dishwater or washing machine; using an automatic shut-off nozzle on outdoor hoses; finding ways to reuse water when hand-washing dishes; checking for leaks in a toilet, faucets, pipes and appliances.

There is an item on the November 7 ballot related to water. A petition had been brought to the Osceola city council to dissolve the Water Board of Trustees. A vote of “no” to the dissolution will leave the water board intact. A vote of “yes” will dissolve the water board, with control and management of Water Works returning to the city council.

Anyone with questions can reach out to the Osceola Water Works Team at 641-342-1435 or go to: www.OsceolaWaterWorks.com.

Information from www.clarkecountylife.com and Osceola Sentinel-Tribune

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