Category: Uncategorized

July 27, 2026 Nitrate Removal Facility Concludes 193 Days of Operation; Customers Encouraged to Continue Everyday Water Conservation Practices WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (July 27, 2026) – The Central Iowa Water Works (CIWW) Technical Committee met today and voted to return to everyday water stewardship, ending all mandatory and voluntary water use restrictions. The decision follows the…

Residential, commercial, and governmental customers may resume lawn watering at a 50% reduction beginning on July 20, 2026. WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (July 20, 2026) – Central Iowa Water Works (CIWW) announced today that it is transitioning all customer classifications from Stage III Water Warning (Lawn Watering Ban) toStage II Water Alert (50% Voluntary Lawn Watering Reduction) under the Water Shortage Plan. Effective July…

All Customers Urged to Focus on Water Conservation WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (July 9, 2026) – Central Iowa Water Works (CIWW) announced the current 50% water reduction plans implemented last week remain unchanged. This means businesses and governmental entities must refrain from using their irrigation systems, while residential customers can continue watering their lawns on the…

Central Iowa’s drinking water system is benefiting from a coordinated strategy that combines watershed improvements upstream, water stewardship, and major investments in water treatment infrastructure throughout the region. Recent actions by the State of Iowa and CIWW demonstrate how protecting water quality requires both prevention and treatment working together. Investments in Infrastructure CIWW and its…

July 1, 2026 WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (July 1, 2026) – Today, Central Iowa Water Works (CIWW) is easing water restrictions from Stage III to a Stage II Water Alert in its Regional Water Use Plan. The change is effective immediately for residential customers. The lawn watering ban will remain in effect for commercial and governmental customers,…

Our treated drinking water is routinely monitored using scientific methods and highly precise instrumentation that provide much more accurate and reliable results than home test strips. Laboratory testing can measure nitrate concentrations with significantly greater precision and quality control than color-based strip tests. If you’re looking for a quick screening tool, several reputable brands offer…

Dale Maffitt Reservoir was constructed in the 1940’s and is a 200-acre man-made water storage reservoir located southwest of Des Moines. While the lake is open for recreation, the Maffitt Reservoir is owned and operated as part of the regional drinking water system and plays an important role in how Central Iowa Water Works (CIWW) manages both water quality and reliability.  When excess source water is available at McMullen Water Treatment Plant, water is…

The Nitrate Removal Facility is an important part of Central Iowa Water Works (CIWW)’s regional drinking water system. Located at the Fleur Drive Water Treatment Plant, the facility removes nitrate from treated water to help ensure the drinking water supply remainsreliable and meets all state and federal standards.  Nitrate levels in the Raccoon River, the Des Moines River, and the Infiltration Gallery*, all sources of water used at the Fleur Drive Water Treatment Plant, can increase throughout the…

The Jordan Aquifer is an important source of water for central Iowa, and CIWW already uses it as part of our water supply. However, it cannot meet the region’s long-term needs on its own. Unlike rivers and shallow groundwater sources that are regularly replenished by rainfall, the Jordan Aquifer is a deep groundwater source located…