It's official: Central Iowa Water Works now a state-recognized entity
A regional water system in central Iowa isn’t a pipe dream anymore.
After a decade of planning, Central Iowa Water Works on Friday became an officially registered entity with the Iowa Secretary of State's Office.
CIWW’s governing board of 14 trustees will officially meet for the first time at 3 p.m. Wednesday at MidAmerican Energy RecPlex, 6500 Grand Ave. in West Des Moines. Early agenda items will be selecting officers, establishing the organization’s administrative functions, hiring an executive director, setting policies and developing a long-range regional plan for water production, the agency said in a news release.
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The new entity’s founding members are the Des Moines Water Works, Ankeny, Clive, Grimes, Johnston, Norwalk, Polk City, Urbandale Water Utility, Warren Water District, Waukee, West Des Moines Water Works and Xenia Rural Water District. An initial project will be expanding the Saylorville Water Treatment Plant north of Des Moines and planning for future capacity, the news release said.
Absent are Bondurant and Altoona, which opted for independent water systems. Local entities will be able to join later, though they’ll face buy-in fees and their membership will be subject to board approval. In the meantime, they’ll still be able to purchase wholesale water from CIWW.
In a news release, Tracy Mehan, executive director for government affairs at the American Water Works Association, said a regionalized water utility is a must for managing the pressures of regulations and changing economic conditions.
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“It is a necessary step needed to provide safe water at affordable prices for ratepayers,” Mehan said. “Congratulations to Central Iowa Water Works.”
CIWW aims to be operational by Jan. 1.
What will the regional system do?
CIWW will provide drinking water to about 600,000 residents. It plans to purchase water produced by Des Moines Water Works and utilities in other member communities, then sell it back to its members at an exclusive wholesale rate for distribution to their customers.
The CIWW would take ownership of facilities currently held by its members and maintain and expand them, as needed.
Will water rates be lower under CIWW?
The system could make the region’s water supply more stable in periods of drought, but it won’t set rates.
Each community would supply the water it purchases to its individual customers, setting its own water rates; operating and maintaining local water mains and water towers; and providing customer service.
What will residents gain from a unified water utility?
Initially, the system will not necessarily serve more residents than the existing Des Moines Water Works, which already sells water to almost all of the communities involved. But it would bring those communities together in a consortium to address water quality and quantity issues for the region as metro Des Moines, the fastest-growing major urban area in the Midwest, continues to expand.
Addison Lathers covers growth and development for the Des Moines metro. Reach her at 608-931-1761 or alathers@registermedia.com, and follow her on X at @addisonlathers.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Central Iowa Water Works officially established with the state
