A new water tower with more storage than Sioux Center’s two existing towers combined is being planned to increase the system’s reliability now and for the future. 

The Sioux Center City Council approved moving forward with design for a new water tower with a capacity of 750,000 to 1 million gallons, roughly 175 feet tall. It would be built in southern Sioux Center near the Walmart area in the next few years, with a tentative completion in 2028.

Currently Sioux Center has about 650,000 gallons of elevated storage in its two water towers. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources recommends that Sioux Center should have at least an average day’s worth of water in elevated storage, about 1 million gallons. 

“For many years, the DNR has told us in their reviews of our system that we should add more storage,” Water Department Head Harlan Kruid said. “This tower will be a great asset for our community. It will increase our system’s reliability and improve fire protection.”

Demand for water continues to grow. Recently Sioux Center hit a new peak day: 1.8 million gallons in 24 hours. For the new tower, the Council will consider pricing on both the 750,000-gallon size and a 1-million-gallon size. Sioux Center’s oldest water tower holds 150,000 gallons. It was built in the early 1960s at Tower Fields. Sioux Center’s newest tower is about 40 years old, built in 1986 in northern Sioux Center. In 1986, the city’s population was about 4,700 people. Today it is about 8,700, nearly double.

“Sioux Center has changed a lot since then,” Utilities Manager Murray Hulstein said. “We are a growing community, and our water usage continually increases. As our peaks continue to increase, additional capacity is going to be more and more important.”

Adding this tower would also enhance Sioux Center’s capability to fully utilize the high-quality water from the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System during peak use times, like summer. In dry periods, having more water available would help avoid Water Watches, when residents are asked to limit water use.

The addition of a third water tower is part of long-term planning for reliable water for Sioux Center. The new water tower will be taller than existing towers. In the long term, this offers increased water pressure if the other towers are raised to the same height. Potentially, the city could remove the oldest tower and the north water tower could be raised. In addition, work is ongoing to replace aging water mains in Sioux Center for reliability.

“We have a responsibility to do what we can to ensure reliable water for the next generations,” Hulstein said.

The Sioux Center Water Department provides quality water to more than 2,600 homes and businesses, drawn from local aquifers and the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System, treated to exceed all federal and state standards.