The Osceola Water Works Board and Staff are aware of the Osceola City Council’s vote to keep the Fern Underwood Aquatic Center closed due to the community’s ongoing water conservation efforts.
With that, on February 28, 2024, the Osceola City Council requested clarity on conditions that may facilitate the opening of the pool as well as other summer outdoor activities that use an abundance of water, specifically the Osceola Municipal Golf Course. They asked how they could reconsider their decision within the current water conservation efforts as well as maintain the health and safety of the raw water available in West Lake.
(see notice from City Hall )
The Water Board and Water Superintendent, understanding the time limits upon the City to inform contractors of their decision to move forward or not on pool renovations, contacted the DNR requesting an immediate review and consideration of supplementing West Lake with several bodies of water throughout the area. DNR was gracious enough to set a meeting for noon on Thursday the 29th to visit sites of interest and determine testing needs and the process necessary to establish viability of these bodies of water.
It’s in all our best interest to assure the raw water resources for Osceola remain safe. If it’s determined that these bodies of water are not suitable for replenishment of West Lake’s raw water in exchange for treated water for the pool and other City-run facilities, a final decision will need to be made based on those results.
Also, the time limit set on responding to the contractors for the pool renovation may impact the DNRs testing schedule. Therefore, the Water Board and Water Superintendent have asked the city to request an extension of the commitment deadline from the contractor to allow for proper testing and evaluation.
As we move forward with these efforts, we will make sure to provide all our customers with the most current updates.
