Thursday sessions give public a chance to hear plan for regional Central Iowa Water Works

Central Iowa drinking water suppliers are preparing to make their case to the public as they move toward the creation of a regional water system they say would allow them to pool their resources to ensure "safe, sufficient, reliable and reasonably priced drinking water."

Des Moines Water Works, Urbandale Water Utility and West Des Moines Water Works have released the third and final draft of an agreement that, if approved, would form Central Iowa Water Works. Under it, more than 600,000 residents could get their water from a unified system.

Two public information sessions on the draft agreement are scheduled Thursday. Des Moines Water Works' session will begin at 6 p.m. at the South Side Library, 1111 Porter Ave., and West Des Moines Water Works' is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at the Valley Junction Activity Center, 217 Fifth St.

The three board-governed water utilities that would be among the founding members — Des Moines, West Des Moines and Urbandale — began efforts in 2020 to make the long-discussed merger a reality.

Other potential members that have expressed interest in joining are Ankeny, Clive, Grimes, Johnston, Norwalk, Polk City, Warren Water District, Waukee and Xenia Rural Water District. All currently purchase water from Des Moines Water Works except Grimes. Des Moines, West Des Moines and Urbandale do, as well.

A few communities ― Altoona and Bondurant ― already have opted out of the agreement.

What's in the Central Iowa Water Works agreement?

The new water utility would not replace or eliminate the water boards or water departments in member communities, according to the proposed agreement. Instead, it would provide shared ownership of existing water supply facilities.

The Central Iowa Water Works would purchase water produced by Des Moines Water Works and utilities in other member communities and then sell it back to the communities at a wholesale rate for distribution to their customers. Each community would supply the water it purchases to its individual customers, setting its own water rates; operating and maintaining local water mains and water towers; and providing customer service.

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Despite that measure of autonomy, the arrangement would make it possible for the utilities to "move forward collaboratively to face the water quality and quantity challenges that we must manage as our region continues to grow,” said Ted Corrigan, CEO and general manager of Des Moines Water Works.

The agreement lists among the Central Iowa Water Works' objectives "to manage water costs to Member Agencies by providing value and stability through economies of scale and regional public governance and management." It also says the unified agency will seek "to advance and promote regional and statewide water resource management as a critical quality of life and economic development asset in the context of climate change and source water quality and quantity challenges."

The governing agency of Central Iowa Water Works would manage the water system, consolidating leadership among the many community water departments, independent water works and rural water utilities.

Each founding community would have a seat on the system's governing board.

How does the merger conserve resources?

A central system would have the ability to plan as a region and share costs, as well as manage resources, ensuring quality and conserving water during droughts, advocates say. It also would plan for capital improvements and developments as a collective, Dale Acheson, general manager of the Urbandale Water Utility, said in a news release.

“We are all getting our water from the same rivers and aquifers,” Acheson said. “The more we can work together to avoid costly duplication in water source development and treatment plant expansions, the better we can focus on growth and resiliency for individual communities as well as the entire region.”

Who's not joining the system?

Not all communities that currently get their water from Des Moines Water Works are sold on the value of a regional system. Altoona and Bondurant are instead moving forward with plans to take independent control of their water supplies.

The Altoona City Council discussed not joining Central Iowa Water Works at a meeting in August, informing Corrigan of the city’s decision Sept. 13, city spokesperson Rachel Simon told the Register. The city already has its own water treatment plant.

"Altoona is planning to expand the city’s water system by adding another water treatment plant to accommodate our expected future growth," Simon said in an email. "There is a $25 million cost for this planned expansion, and we anticipate that it will happen sometime over the next two to three years."

She said the city would use money from a state loan fund.

Bondurant also looks to establish its own facilities, moving forward with a related land purchase last week. A City Council resolution noted that the city has relied on Des Moines Water Works for several decades, but that a recent analysis indicated it would be financially beneficial for residents to reestablish municipal water treatment and production.

"Des Moines Water Works has increased rates consistently over the past several years, which affects customers in Des Moines, Pleasant Hill, Windsor Heights and a handful of other small communities that purchase water directly from the utility," the resolution said.

Are there other reasons for concern?

Also skeptical is former state Sen. Jack Hatch. He told the Des Moines Register that while he wasn't opposed to regionalization, he had concerns over what he sees as a lack of transparency and input from elected officials.

He released a confidential memo regarding the merger in 2019 during his run for Des Moines mayor, describing early discussions as a “Flint-like secretive takeover” ― an apparent reference to the 2011 state takeover of the Flint, Michigan, city government that led to a switch of the water supply and in turn a lead contamination crisis in 2014.

Hatch explained that the mayor of Des Moines appoints five individuals to sit on the Water Works board for a term of six years. In negotiations to form Central Iowa Water Works, suburban communities have had elected officials at the table; Des Moines did not, he said.

"Who's protecting the residents of Des Moines?" Hatch asked. "They have no respect for the voter."

A lack of accountability between voters and trustees could put the city at a disadvantage as Central Iowa Water Works comes together, with smaller communities benefiting from shared facilities and costs while being able to set their rates lower than Des Moines' rates, he said.

What's next for the Central Iowa Water Works plan?

The prospective members will review the final agreement and confirm their participation over the next month. The goal is to approve the agreement by early 2024, and Central Iowa Water Works would begin operation as a wholesale water supplier to its member agencies on Jan. 1, 2025.

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Following Thursday's meetings, each of the individual entities will provide opportunities for public comment.

Chris Higgins contributed reporting. Reach him at chiggins@registermedia.com or 515-423-5146 and follow him on Twitter @chris_higgins_. 

Addison Lathers covers growth and development for the Des Moines metro. Reach her at ALathers@registermedia.com and follow her on Twitter at @addisonlathers.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Proposed central Iowa water system: What's in the final draft plan?