| Water infrastructure in Ames dates back to 1891, with
the installation of a water main and hydrants. From
this, the Water and Pollution Control Department has
grown into four divisions providing service to over 14,000 homes
and businesses.
The Water and Pollution Control Department is
responsible for collecting source water from local
groundwater aquifers, treating that water to make it
suitable for drinking water purposes, and then
delivering the water into the citywide distribution
system. Once customers have used the water, the
Water and Pollution Control Department will collect and
treat that water, making it safe for release back into
the environment. The department also maintains the
City's inventory of water meters, and operates the first
laboratory in Iowa certified by the IDNR for water and
wastewater regulatory analyses.
The water coming to the tap of Ames residents recently
placed first in a statewide competition
held at the annual Iowa American Water Works Association
conference. Tested on taste, odor
and clarity, Ames water beat out 15 other competitors.
Water Pollution Control recently received a Platinum-18
Peak Performance Award by the National Association of
Clean Water Agencies.
This award recognizes the facility’s 100 percent
compliance for 18 consecutive years with their National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. This
record dates back to the initial start-up of the current facility
in 1989. It is the longest compliance record in
the State of Iowa, and is the third
longest in the nation.
The Water and Pollution Control Department operate
solely on revenue. No tax funds are used for any part of
the operations. |
