MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa — Marshalltown Water Works Board of Trustees approved a plan to increase its water rates for residents by 12% beginning on July 1.
The increases in rates are due to million-dollar projects planned by the water works to expand its water works plant, replace its water main and expand its well field.
"We were nearing capacity in both [tracks]," explained Marshalltown Water Works general manager Shelli Lovell. "...the plant and wells were both aging, along with the rest of the aging infrastructure that all of us are dealing."
The city's current water works plant is nearly 50 years old. So not only did Lovell say the project was needed due to aging resources and facilities, but also because water demand has increased.
"We need to make sure that we have enough water for continued growth of Marshalltown," she said.
To keep up with the city's growth, Lovell said the plant expansion will add 6 million gallons of water per day to the city's treatment system. As of now, the water works plant treats 12 million gallons per day total in two separate treatment trains.
The city's water works gets all of its water from nine separate wells near the Iowa river. Lovell said it'll replace some of those wells too due to age.
There isn't an official date set for when construction will begin for these water works projects, as Lovell said Marshalltown Water Works are waiting the Iowa Department of Natural Resources' approval on the entire project.
The project will cost about $47 million for construction and engineering. That money will come from the federal government in a low-interest loan through a state fund, Lovell said.