Recent Rainfall Replenishes West Lake

On April 22, 2026 / General Water Works News

April’s abundant rainfall has delivered much needed moisture and as a result, the lake level at West Lake has risen to 1072.70 feet above MSL (Mean Sea Level) and is flowing over the West Lake spillway. This moisture recovery is being seen across the entire state of Iowa. The latest update from the U.S. Drought Monitor shows that drought conditions across Iowa have eased compared to the beginning of the year. Many areas that were experiencing moderate to severe drought have seen a reduction of intensity, thanks to April precipitation. While not all regions have fully recovered, the trends are

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Employment Opportunities at Osceola Water Works

On March 10, 2026 / General Water Works News

As part of an organizational restructuring and realignment of job responsibilities, Osceola Water Works is accepting applications for a Utility Service Coordinator. Under the administrative direction of the Utility Business Director, the Utility Service Coordinator is responsible for the daily operations of the Utility Office and assisting with all accounting functions of the Osceola Water Works. This position requires an Associate Degree in Accounting and frequent interaction with the public. This is a terrific opportunity for the right candidate to grow and excel,” said Brandon Patterson, Water Superintendent. “While there are a lot of moving parts and detail-oriented tasks involved in

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Osceola Water Works Addresses Water Quality and Lake Turnover

On January 14, 2026 / General Water Works News, Important Water Works Updates

Osceola Water Works has confirmed that West Lake, the source of Osceola’s drinking water, recently experienced a natural process known as lake turnover. This seasonal event can temporarily affect the taste and odor of drinking water, even though the water remains safe to consume. Lake turnover is the process of a lake’s water mixing from top to bottom. It happens naturally, most often in the fall and spring, when air temperatures fluctuate. During summer, lake water forms a top layer that is warm and heated by the sun and a bottom layer that is colder, darker, and denser. As temperatures

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Osceola Water Works Makes Annual Transition to Free Chlorine

On September 30, 2025 / General Water Works News, Important Water Works Updates

During the month of October, Osceola Water Works will make a temporary change in disinfectant to Free Chlorine that will take place starting October 2, 2025 and continue through November 5, 2025. This practice is endorsed by health authorities like the EPA and is not considered a public health risk. Converting to Free Chlorine is a preventative, periodic maintenance practiced by many water utilities to ensure continued quality and integrity of the public water system. While Chloramines are effective, it is necessary to convert to Free Chlorine, which is a stronger disinfectant used to proactively kill bacteria that can become

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First Phase of Water Main Replacement Project Nears Completion

On September 11, 2025 / General Water Works News

If you’ve driven down West Garfield or North Fillmore lately, you may have noticed Osceola Water Works making some big changes underground. The project, which began earlier this summer, focused on replacing the old cast iron water mains in the 200 block of West Garfield and the 600 block of North Fillmore with brand-new PVC pipe. This upgrade is a big step forward in improving the service reliability of Osceola’s water system. Looking at the project numbers, crews installed roughly 768 feet of new 6-inch water main, added two fire hydrants, six gate valves, and replaced ten service connections going

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Osceola Water Works Announces Water Main Replacement Program

On July 16, 2025 / General Water Works News, Important Water Works Updates

As part of ongoing efforts to improve and modernize Osceola’s water infrastructure, Osceola Water Works will begin the first of several planned water main replacement projects. This annual replacement program is designed to proactively tackle the community’s aging framework head-on. High-priority areas that have experienced repeated main breaks and service disruptions over the last several years will be the immediate focus. This year’s focus will be on the 200 Block of West Garfield Street and the 600 Block of North Fillmore Street. The upcoming project will include the installation of approximately 768 feet of new 6-inch water main. Along with

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Osceola Water Works Response to Regional Water Restrictions

On June 18, 2025 / General Water Works News, Important Water Works Updates

Recent headlines regarding water use restrictions across Central lowa may remind us of the Water Conservation restrictions that were in place in our community just a short time ago, due to drought and the quantity of water that was in West Lake, Osceola’s only source of water. The restrictions issued by Central lowa Water Works (CIWW) are due to elevated nitrate levels in their primary water sources which are the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers. The issue is not a lack of available water, but rather limitations on how much water can be treated to meet federal safety standards. These

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Final Call: Submit Your Water Line Info Before It’s Too Late

On May 6, 2025 / General Water Works News, Important Water Works Updates

Osceola Water Works is issuing a final request to all customers: if you haven’t yet submitted information about your property’s water service lines, please do so before May 20, 2025. The deadline to submit the EPA-mandated Lead Service Line Inventory is fast approaching, and once the report is finalized and submitted, no further properties can be added to the project list. Why This Matters to You The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has revised its Lead and Copper Rule, requiring all community water suppliers to complete a detailed inventory of lead service lines throughout their service area. This is a vital

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Revisiting West Lake Water Levels

On April 17, 2025 / General Water Works News

As Osceola Water Works closely monitors the water levels at West Lake – Osceola, Iowa’s only water source, it’s important to reflect on the past and to keep the future of Osceola’s water supply in focus. This week’s lake level measured 1070.37 feet above Mean Sea Level (MSL), which is five feet higher than it was at this time last year – but is still more than two feet below full pool level at 1072.7 feet above MSL. In April, 2024, West Lake Level was at 1065.00 and Osceola was in Section 3 – Water Emergency – Restrictions of the

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