A slight increase in Sioux Center Municipal Utilities’ water rate will help replace aging infrastructure and serve continued community growth.
This updated water rate, which will go into effect mid-summer, will help cover costs of ongoing community growth with new lines to developing areas, maintaining aging sections of pipe in older neighborhoods, adding quantity and quality of water from the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System to the local supply, and system improvements including preparing for a third water tower.
“Some local water system pipes are very old, may have restricted flow conditions, and are more prone to have leaks,” said Utilities Manager Murray Hulstein. “Also, Sioux Center continues to grow residentially and commercially, and our system has to be prepared to meet growing demand.”
Blending Lewis & Clark Regional Water System water with local water has increased quality and available quantity in Sioux Center, decreasing water hardness to about 25 grains, which means customers can turn down their softeners and save on salt usage as well as water and wastewater use, Hulstein added.
The addition of a third water tower in southern Sioux Center is being planned to help provide adequate storage for local growth and fire protection.
For customers, this water rate increase will be between 6-8%, depending on their meter size. For the average residential customer using about 5,000 gallons per month, the increase will be about $2.90. The water rate change goes into effect in late June, and customers will see it reflected on their bill on August 1.
The Sioux Center Water Department provides quality water to more than 2,600 customers, drawn from local aquifers and the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System, treated to exceed all federal and state standards.