Water Works Board Lowers Conservation Restrictions; Voluntary Monitoring Necessary

divers enter west lake to evaluate intake for osceola water works

The Osceola Water Works Board met for their regular monthly meeting and determined that the West Lakes water level which is now at 1069.83, where 1,072 MSL (Mean Sea Level) is considered “Full Pool,” the Board decided to exit Section 2 and enter Section 1.  Conservation Ordinance Section 1 asks the community to voluntarily monitor and conserve water as much as possible. “We want to make sure everyone is aware we’re still asking our customers to watch their water usage and to reduce waste, but some of the restrictions have been lightened until further notice,” said Brandon Patterson, Osceola Water

More from My Water Works

Updated Strategies to Increase Osceola Water Quality and Savings

water quality in osceola iowa

Over the weeks of April 3rd and April 10th, the Osceola Water Works team, with the help of Carbon Central, LLC. of Excelsior Springs, MO, started the updating of the filtering materials at the Osceola water plant. This update is included in a two-part strategy intended to reduce costs associated with maintaining Osceola’s water quality and safety, which have almost doubled over the past few years. When asked about the filtering process, Brandon Patterson, Osceola Water Works Superintendent explained that due to sharp increases in pricing as well as regional water shortages, finding strategies to maintain Osceola’s water quality and

More from My Water Works

Spring has Sprung, but Water Works Warns of Usage Restrictions

west lake water supply for osceola iowa

We love to see the grass greener and the flowers blooming. The signs of Spring have definitely started, but even with the recent storms, the water levels in West Lake are still below levels to properly meet demand for the community. Brandon Patterson, Osceola Water Works Water Superintendent recently sent an update to Osceola’s City Administrator warning of the condition of water at West Lake. “We’re currently asking Osceola water users to operate under Water Conservation Plan: Section 2,” said Patterson. “Once we have confirmation updates to the intake can be made, or until we receive some substantial Spring rain,

More from My Water Works

Students Learn About Careers in Water Operations and Management

Osceola water works career day

Ever think what it’s like to work with one of your community’s most valuable resources? Students at Clarke Community High School spent the day with Osceola Water Works’ own Plant Foreman, Cory Gallup, discussing exactly that. As a part of the district’s career day, Cory spent the day with Clarke juniors and seniors discussing various aspects of a career in water operations. Students filed into Gallup’s presentation as part of a day-long tour that included local businesses, schools, and trade organizations to learn about various careers open to them after graduation. As an Osceola Water Works representative with more than

More from My Water Works

UPDATE: Understanding Your Osceola Utility Bill

osceola iowa utility bill sample

With the recent updates to the paper billing (sample shown to the right) and at the request of our customers, the team at Osceola Water Works wanted to further define and clarify the sections of the customers’ utility bill sent out each month. Osceola Water Works has an agreement with the City of Osceola to bill for city sewer (SW), the city sewer surcharge (SS) as well as city garbage services (GB) to conveniently keep all local utility services on one, convenient monthly statement.  With the new formatted billing, customers can easily see the itemization of each utility service on

More from My Water Works

OWW Board Moves to Clarify Mission Statement and Customer Focus

In an effort to continue increasing the support and service the Osceola Water Works board provides to the community, a directive was made to clarify and define the organization’s service mission. While most businesses build mission statements as part of branding and marketing strategy initiatives, non-profits, like Osceola Water Works, often focus primarily on the benefits of their services over defining who and why they serve in the first place. “The board wanted to make sure we defined, in clear, precise language, our mission of service,” said Brandon Patterson, Water Works Superintendent. “This not only helps focus our own understanding

More from My Water Works

Osceola Water Board Increases Conservation Plan to ‘Water Warning’ Level

osceola water works drought water warning level

For much of 2022, the State of Iowa has been at or hovering precariously close to severe drought levels. According to mid-October measurements, 57% of the state was experiencing moderate drought levels – an increase from 52% just weeks before. Moving into November, statewide averages improved, but with little increase in precipitation the Osceola Water Board moved to increase the city’s water conservation plan from Section 1: Water Watch to Section 2: Water Warning. According to Brandon Patterson, Osceola Water Superintendent, the Board decided to take this step based off of current water levels in West Lake and as a

More from My Water Works