Multi-Disciplined System Evaluation Required for Funding Approval

Preliminary engineering report by Stanley Consultants paves way for project funding for Ottumwa Water and Hydro.

Ottumwa Water and Hydro (OWH) operates a water supply, treatment and distribution system that provides potable water to 25,000 residents.  Although still capable of producing high quality, safe water, much of the system is aged, outdated and could face capacity and reliability issues.

Several system upgrades are ready to go forward or in the planning stages.  Before construction can begin on the new phases, financing must be secured.  OWH is considering some public financing partners that require a Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) be developed and submitted to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources before funding will be approved.

Stanley Consultants was retained to perform a multi-disciplined system evaluation of the entire OWH raw and treated water system.  Evaluation included water supply pump stations and intake structures, individual water plant treatment processes, and several distribution system pump station, five tanks, multiple pressure zones and a pipe network.  Each of these components was evaluated for condition, capacity, operations, maintenance, reliability, and controls.

At the completion of the evaluation, a prioritized master plan for improvements was presented in the PER that provides an orderly, fiscally responsible plan for implementing over $15 million of improvements over the 20-year study period.