OSKALOOSA – A pump malfunction in the Oskaloosa water treatment plant caused the city’s two water towers to empty overnight.

Staff discovered the pressure loss when reporting to work Tuesday morning and began refilling the water towers.

However low pressure creates the potential for bacteria to enter the system. City officials and the DNR are asking residents in Oskaloosa and Beacon to boil their water until testing shows the water is safe to drink.

Residents should let water boil for one minute, then cool it before using. They should use boiled or bottled water for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth and food preparation until further notice. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water.

Tap water can be used for bathing and similar purposes.

The city is collecting water samples at 11 locations, including one in Beacon, today and tomorrow. The samples will be sent to a laboratory for testing. The city or DNR will notify residents when water is safe to drink and the advisory is lifted.

City staff will be checking to see why an automated system failed to notify plant operators of the pump failure.

Due to a process control issue and possible low pressures, fecal coliform [or E. coli] bacteria could be in the water supply. These bacteria can make you sick, and are a particular concern for people with weakened immune systems.

What should I do?

• DO NOT DRINK THE WATER WITHOUT BOILING IT FIRST. Bring all water to a boil, let it boil for one minute, and let it cool before using, or use bottled water. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and food preparation until further notice. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water.

• Fecal coliforms and E. coli are bacteria whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes. Microbes in these wastes can cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. They may pose a special health risk for infants, young children, some of the elderly, and people with severely compromised immune systems.

• The symptoms above are not caused only by organisms in drinking water. If you experience any of these symptoms and they persist, you may want to seek medical advice. People at increased risk should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers.

What happened? What is being done?

Bacterial contamination can occur when increased run-off enters the drinking water source (for example, following heavy rains). It can also happen due to a break in the distribution system (pipes) or a failure in the water treatment process.

The pumps that bring water from the plant to town were locked out as a result of an operational issue.  The water level in both towers was shown to be zero.  It is believed that there was still water in the stand pipe of the south tower, but pressure may have dropped below 20 pounds per square inch, and thus the reason for concern about low pressure.  The alarm system that typically notifies staff was found to be non-responsive.  Staff determined the cause of the pump lockout, corrected it and then restarted the pumps.  A systems control company has been on-site to fix the problems with the alarm system. We will inform you when tests show no bacteria and you no longer need to boil your water. We anticipate resolving the problem today, and having results from testing by late Thursday afternoon.

For more information, please contact Chad Coon at 673-8476 or chad.coon@oskaloosawater.org. General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1(800) 426-4791.

The Oskaloosa City Council met for their regularly scheduled meeting and a study session Monday evening.

The study session involved a review and discussion of storm water utility fee calculations and updates.

Nate Willey, an engineer and technician with the Public Works Department in Oskaloosa, did a review of the prices that were being paid by non-residential properties in the city limits. Willey found that there was approximately $35,500 of additional fees that could have been collected this past year in Oskaloosa.

This study will result in 200 accounts being increased in the city, and following their notification, the changes likely will occur after January 1^st, 2017. Willey said the study and update will likely occur every three or four years for adjustments.

In the regular meeting, the first item was community comments, and Brad Hodges and Dell Johnson of Fellowship Bible Church spoke about their church’s project for renovation and expansion, and urged the City Council to waive 8 of the 11 items they were given for their site plan to save on money for the project.

In the regular agenda, there was an item calling for a vote on the project, but Mayor David Krutzfeldt explained to council that it made more sense to have a study session to work out the issues with members of the church and city staff before any vote came about. This study session was agreed upon by the council, and will take place prior to the next scheduled meeting, which is May 2^nd. Start time for the study session will be5 PM.

Also in the regular agenda, the council received a summary of the quarterly report from Kandis Klyn of Mahaska Community Recreation Foundation.

The council was also notified of the winning bid for the sale of General Obligation Refunding Capital Loan Notes, Series 2016, for $1.8 million. The winning bid came from Banker’s Bank in Madison, Wisconsin. This is a good deal for taxpayers, as the interest is under 2 percent.

The council also passed a resolution authorizing the redemption of outstanding loan notes from 2008, as the new notes can be paid at a lower interest rate and save the city money.

The council also removed the city ordinances regarding registration and insurance for golf carts on city streets. This was discussed at a study session a couple of weeks ago, and was accepted unanimously. There have been no citations or issues with the ordinance since it was implemented in 2011, and no member of the public was opposed to the ordinance removal.

Finally, the council formally approved the city of Oskaloosa Corridor and Wayfinding Improvement Studies, mainly on the basis of record keeping.

The next meeting of the Oskaloosa City Council is scheduled for Monday, May 2^nd, at 6 PM, in Council Chambers of City Hall in Oskaloosa.

The Mahaska County Board of Supervisors met for their regularly scheduled meeting Monday morning at the Mahaska County Courthouse, and finalizing a contract for land inspection for the Baaken Oil Pipeline was among the major points of discussion.

Evan Del Val of environmental inspection firm ISG answered questions to affirm the plans for ISG to inspect the land where the Baaken Oil Pipeline will be installed in Mahaska County. The Supervisors unanimously agreed to go through with the contract. Del Val said it would be no earlier than June of this year when Dakota Access would begin work in Mahaska County to install the pipeline.

ISG has contracts lined up with 13 of the 18 counties the pipeline will pass through, including nearby Jasper, Keokuk, and Wapello counties. The pipeline will have the longest stretch in Mahaska County, with over 30 miles needing to be installed from the northwest corner to the southeast corner.

The Board also authorized a signature on a Haul Road Damages agreement involving the project as well. This was set up by Dave Shanahan, who is in charge of Mahaska County Secondary Roads.

The Board also heard from Jamey Robinson from Emergency Services regarding the current phone system in use by his department. He said the system was antiquated, and he has looked into some upgrade options with Mahaska County IT Coordinator Darin Hite, who joined Robinson at the meeting.

The two agreed that a new system should be in place soon, and they just wanted to get the ball rolling. The system would be set up for the courthouse and the law enforcement center. A rough estimate for the new system would be around $60,000. There would also be an option to lease equipment for around $15,000 per year.

The Supervisors looked at the information presented, and said they would look at adding the system into their next fiscal year budget and discuss it at a later time.

In other business:

• The Board renewed the Mahaska County Health Plan for county employees
• The Board approved a liquor license for Eddyville Raceway Park

The next scheduled meeting of the Mahaska County Board of Supervisors is set for Monday, May 2^nd, at 9 AM in the Mahaska County Courthouse in Oskaloosa.

In a press release from the Arbor Day Foundation, Oskaloosa has been named Tree City USA for 2015.

Oskaloosa, Iowa was named a 2015 Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation in honor of its commitment to effective urban forest management.

Started in 1976, the Tree City USA program, sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation, in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters is celebrating its 40^th Anniversary this year.

Oskaloosa achieved Tree City USA recognition by meeting the program’s four requirements: a tree board or department, a tree-care ordinance, an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.

“Tree City USA communities see the impact an urban forest has in a community first hand,” said Dan Lambe, President of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Additionally, recognition brings residents together and creates a sense of community pride, whether it’s through volunteer engagement or public education.”

Trees provide multiple benefits to a community when properly planted and maintained. They help to improve the visual appeal of a neighborhood, increase property values, reduce home cooling costs, remove air pollutants and provide wildlife habitat, among many other benefits.

More information on the program is available at arborday.org/TreeCityUSA.

About the Arbor Day Foundation: The Arbor Day Foundation is a million member nonprofit conservation and education organization with the mission to inspire people to plan, nurture, and celebrate trees. More information is available at arborday.org.

Rodger Beane, Ron VanHeuvelen, Craig Coen, and Jeff Smith with Mayor David Krutzfeldt

Rodger Beane, Ron VanHeuvelen, Craig Coen, and Jeff Smith with Mayor David Krutzfeldt

Craig Coen with Mayor David Krutzfeldt

Story provided by George Henry