Central Iowa Water Works, the new regional drinking water utility made up of 12 member communities and agencies, will become operational on Wednesday following the signing of an agreement last week giving the organization the ownership of the region’s water treatment facilities.

It’s the culmination of a nearly decade-long effort to create a regional utility in Central Iowa.

According to a news release, customers of member communities will not notice any significant change in service, how they pay their bill or who they call for customer service.

Central Iowa Water Works will act as the wholesale distributor of water to its members, with ownership of treatment plants and distribution lines. Previously, most cities and water utilities in the metro have purchased at least some of their water from Des Moines Water Works. Now, each member will buy water wholesale from Central Iowa Water Works and set the cost for their customers.

The 12 founding members of Central Iowa Water Works are Ankeny, Clive, Des Moines Water Works, Grimes, Johnston, Norwalk, Polk City, Urbandale Water Utility, Warren Water District, Waukee, West Des Moines Water Works and Xenia Rural Water District. Des Moines Water Works also represents seven total service customers, including Pleasant Hill and Windsor Heights.

Regionalization will help Central Iowa meet its water needs as it continues to grow and is vital to continued economic development and job growth, leaders have said.

“It’s rare that such a major change in the ownership and governance of an essential service has no adverse effects on customer experience,” CIWW Board Chair Jody Smith said in the release. “At midnight on Jan. 1, 2025, CIWW is the operational wholesale drinking water authority, owned and governed by 12 founding entities who will make decisions together about everything from source water integrity and protections to treatment processes and rate-setting.”

Central Iowa Water Works has four water producers: Des Moines Water Works, West Des Moines Water Works, and the cities of Grimes and Polk City. It has the capacity to serve more than 600,000 people in Central Iowa, the release stated.

“Regionalization is a big word in the water industry these days, yet very few metro areas have been able to accomplish what CIWW has,” CIWW Executive Director Tami Madsen said.

The Business Record sat down with Madsen to learn more about her and her vision for Central Iowa Water Works. Look for that article in the Jan. 10 Business Record print edition.

Related articles:

• Third draft of regional water agreement due this summer with 2025 goal for operation
• Groups continue to navigate steps toward regional water system
• West Des Moines Water Works votes to begin negotiations on regionalization
• Des Moines Water Works approves resolution to begin regionalization talks, awaits decision by W.D.M., Urbandale