Water Works Team Addresses Water Quality at Lower Levels

With the lower levels of water in West Lake, quality challenges have become more apparent and require a change in the disinfection process. To help mitigate bacteria and other issues at lower levels in West Lake, a free-chlorine disinfection process will begin.

Click through to learn what you can do about the changes in your water…

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Late Algae Bloom Hits Osceola Water Works

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West Lake, which supplies water to the city of Osceola, is experiencing late season algae issues, requiring increased treatment and causing a change in the treatment needs of the city’s drinking water. Osceola Water Works crews detected a large algae bloom in West Lake on November 7, prompting a necessary late treatment of West Lake. An algae bloom of this size and scope is exceptionally unusual for this time of year, with mid-September being the standard last algae treatment needed. Some customers may have noticed a change in the taste of the water, but the Osceola Water Works department acted

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NOTICE: Water Works Annual Treatment Change

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Starting in October, Osceola Water Works will begin transitioning to winter maintenance and will be making a change in the treatment process. Residents may notice a difference, but will have no cause for concern. In early October, the water works department will begin the annual fire hydrant flushing program. This process is a way to perform routine maintenance on the hydrants and to clean out sediment in the water mains. Department employees will open the fire hydrants and allow them to flow freely for a short period of time. Residents may notice slight discoloration or trace amounts of sediment in

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Why and How to Build a Rain Garden

Turn on the Home and Garden channel or visit newer parks and botanical centers and you are bound to hear about a rain garden. Landscapers, homeowners and conservationists are all catching on to rain gardens and spreading the word about what they do and how to build one. While planning and creating your own rain garden may seem like a daunting task, we’re here to answer some questions! What is a rain garden and why is it important? A rain garden is a landscaped area planted with wild flowers and other native vegetation that soak up rain runoff from roofs, driveways or yards.

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Osceola Water Works Addresses Customer Concerns Regarding Flint Michigan Lead Issues

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Recent news stories about the dangerous water in Flint, Michigan may have raised some questions for customers of Osceola Water Works. How does lead get into drinking water? What are the health effects of lead in drinking water? How safe is MY drinking water? We would like to provide some answers and ease any concerns. What happened in Flint, Michigan? The city of Flint used to get its water from Detroit, which draws its water directly from the Great Lakes. In an effort to save money, Flint opted to draw their water from the Flint River. While lead isn’t necessarily

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OSCEOLA WATER WORKS DOUBLES UP FOR BETTER TASTE AND QUALITY

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In the continuing effort to provide Osceola residents with clean, great-tasting water as well as keeping costs low, Osceola Water Works has stepped up their filtering schedule, with the a round of change-outs that took place from March 8th through the 11th. One of the main issues the Water Works Department has been faced with in recent years is the taste and odor of the drinking water in Osceola. Part of the arsenal being used to fight this problem is the carbon filtering system already in place. There are 8 filters that use granular activated carbon (GAC). Because their surfaces become

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A Year of Change and Growth – Osceola Water Works Updates 2015

2015 has been a year of great change and transition for your Osceola Water Works. Much of it was spent making improvements to the business infrastructure as well as acquiring new equipment to benefit the entire Osceola community. Not all changes have been visible to the public, but all have saved money and substantially increased productivity. One major step taken by OWW is the acquisition of new equipment and the completion of staff training. With the purchase of a backhoe, skid loader, concrete saw, dump trailer, and dump truck, the Water Works team was able to do repairs and installations

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Challenges of Treating Surface Water

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The Osceola Water Works team is continually working to ensure your water is clean, clear, and fresh. West Lake has been a great resource for the city’s water, but being a surface water resource, it poses unique treatment challenges. Surface water, such as Osceola’s West Lake, contains natural bacteria and other microorganisms like algae. The levels of these contaminants can be affected by several factors including rainfall runoff, soil conditions, land cover, agriculture, and the local topography. This creates the need for a greater focus on the surface water sanitation process. Certain times of the year create a greater need

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Water Works To Hold Public Hearing For 2016 Rate Increase

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As a courtesy to the Osceola Water Works customers, the Water Works Board is hosting a public hearing based on a proposed water service rate increase in 2016. This hearing will be at the Osceola Water Works office, January 7th, 2016 starting at 5:30pm. The Board would like to discuss the factors that have led to the proposed rate increase, as well as the costs associated with management and servicing the water for the City. Osceola’s water taste and odor has been a large focus for the Water Board in 2015. While the Water Works team has worked to address

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From The Lake To Your Glass – And Everything In Between

On a hot day there’s nothing better than a cool, clean glass of water. Throw in a couple ice cubes and it’s pretty close to perfect – perfect for hydration, for taste, for health, and refreshment. But did you ever stop to think about HOW the water you get from the tap actually gets there? Thanks to the crew at your Osceola Water Works, you’re able to partake in some of Iowa’s highest quality water without buying a single bottle, or pesky filters or softeners. West Lake Is Where It All Starts The water has to come from somewhere, right?

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