Public Works

Welcome to the City of Independence Water and Wastewater Department. Our responsibilities include treating wastewater generated by industrial and residential users as well as maintenance of the treatment plant and two lift stations. Travis Foley WWTP/Water Superintendent, manages these areas as well as the testing, monitoring, and required permits and certifications. He also maintains a safe and reliable water supply for city residents, businesses, and industry.

The Wastewater Treatment Facility has gone through several upgrades with the last one being in 2005. It handles the needs of two major industries, the Wapsie Valley Creamery and Tyson Pet Products. The average flow is 1.2 million gallons a day. Wet weather flows are 4 million gallons daily with a maximum wet weather flow of 7.8 million gallons a day.

With five local wells and three towers, the city has a capacity of more than one million gallons of water as well as over 2,800 connections. The typical usage is between 700,000-800,000 gallons each day.

Water service infrastructure has expanded to serve developments on the south and west side of Independence, an additional 1,200 acres of property. Expansion is ongoing to meet the needs of newly developed areas.

The City of Independence has a municipal water supply with over 2800 connections. This is taken from five locally located wells. The City also has three water towers with a total capacity of 1,050,000 gallons. Typical daily water usage is about 700,000 to 800,000 gallons daily and over 250,000 million gallons used annually. The water is presently treated with chlorine for disinfection purposes.

As a result of expanding development into areas along the south and west side of town, water service infrastructure was put in place to provide service to an additional 1,200 acres of property. Further extensions to developing new sub-divisions is ongoing with further extensions planned in the near future.

The Independence Water Department is committed to providing professional and courteous service to our customers.

Our goal is to produce safe, high quality, reliable water, and distribute our product in the most efficient way, while maintaining and upgrading the system to meet future requirements.
Water Treatment Plant

Waste Water Treatment Plant Process

There is a 2-stage trickling filter complete with thermophilic digestion. There is a chlorination process of the final effluent. The average flow is 1.25 million gallons per day. The plant is a state-certified lab with 3 state-licensed employees.

Duties & Responsibilities

The City of Independence Waste Water Collection System Department operates and maintains 2 waste water pumping stations and monitors and maintains the entire sanitary sewer system. The 2 waste water pumping station duties require:
  • Operation
  • Monitoring
  • Maintenance

Did You Know?

Wastewater Treatment Facility

  • The current Wastewater Treatment facility was constructed in 1980.
  • It is a Two Stage Trickling Filter plant with Thermophilic Digestion process for it biosolids. Disinfection is done by chlorination before being released to its receiving waters of the Wapsipinicon River.
  • In 1998 there was an upgrade to the facility to the Thermophillic digestion process and a million gallon storage tank was built.
  • In 2005 another upgrade was done to the plant with the construction of an additional Trickling Filter for a growing local industry.

Lift Stations

  • The Lover's Lane Lift was built in 1980 and completely upgraded in 2005 to handle the increasing flows. It pumps almost the entire City to the Wastewater Plant.
  • Another smaller lift station was added to the east side of town to serve that expanding part of town.