Archive for the ‘About Us’ Category
October 1, 2012A Day in the Life of: Water Production Laborer
Meet Joe. Joe is a Water Production Laborer for Des Moines Water Works. He says a day in the life of a water production laborer is anything but boring.
From fall to spring, you will find Joe and other laborers in the underground water basins. Here, he drains the four million gallons of water each basin holds and hoses down everything so that it is clean to work in. He then makes any necessary repairs and continues with preventive maintenance after that. The basin crew then fills it back up with water and move on to the next basin.
In the late spring and summer months, Joe is out of the basins for the season. Water production laborers then assist maintenance mechanics and utility mechanics on many different projects at all the different sites Des Moines Water Works manages. This can be quite diverse. One day you may be hanging from a crane hook lowered 30 feet underground and the next day you could be helping install new sleeves and bearings on a 21,000 GPM pump. Along with variety of task, the position also requires working at various sites, such as the Fleur Drive, L.D. McMullen or Saylorville Water Treatment Plants.
Joe says, “I am able to do a multitude of different things at many different sites around the Des Moines metro area. Being a Water Production Laborer has also provided me with the opportunity to learn new skills. That is why I have enjoyed my career in water at Des Moines Water Works.”
A Day in the Life of: Control Center Operator
Des Moines Water Works has been providing safe drinking water to Des Moines since 1871. Today, Des Moines Water Works serves approximately 500,000 people throughout the Des Moines metro area. Few people realize the importance of providing citizens with safe and reliable drinking water. Like police officers, fire fighters, and other emergency personal that work to keep our cities safe, proper water operators are needed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to ensure public health in central Iowa.
At Des Moines Water Works, there is a Control Center Operator always on duty managing the treatment of the water at all three of Des Moines Water Works’ treatment plants. They also monitor and control the distribution system, which includes 10 pumping stations, 12 booster stations, and 25 water towers throughout the Des Moines metro area.
Depending on the time of day, the priorities of the operator varies. Operators that work the day shift perform numerous processes for cleaning water and replenishing the distribution system. The evening shift operator’s goal is to monitor the distribution system to keep it regulated. The overnight operator focuses on refilling the water towers for the morning rush.
The peak demand for water is usually Monday-Friday from 5:00 am to 10:00 am. The demand will then pick back up during the evening when people get home from work. During the summer, the demand is also high towards the end of the evening when businesses and homeowners typically irrigate lawns. It is important to keep water storage facilities filled for optimal water pressure throughout the distribution system and for use during fire fighting.
The day shift operator also manages chemical deliveries at three treatment plants, which is done remotely from the control center at the Fleur Drive Treatment Plant. There may also be requests from other utility employees related to maintenance of the treatment plants. The overnight shift operator’s responsibility is to prepare the treatment plants for the next day, such as updating all of the logs.
To handle all that needs to be taken care of, Control Center Operators must be able to prioritize all of the requests and duties that they face each shift. They must be able to multitask and handle an emergency in a calm manor. Each shift is different than the one before, but Des Moines Water Works Control Center Operators understand that their role is vital to the health of residents of Des Moines and surrounding areas.
A Day in the Life of: Water Works Park Police Officer
Meet Dean. Dean is a Des Moines Water Works Park Police Officer and has been helping visitors of Water Works Park for over six years. Park Police Officers keep Water Works Park safe for patrons and address any questions or concerns that visitors may have. But that isn’t all that they do.
The officers also provide security for the park at Maffitt Reservoir and other Des Moines Water Works facilities – including water towers and storage facilities located throughout the Des Moines metro area. They also respond to alarms or suspicious activity that may occur at Des Moines Water Works operated facilities.
Many organizations – Make-a-Wish Foundation’s Jolly Holiday Lights and HyVee Fishing Derby, to name a few – hold their events at Water Works Park, and the Park Officers assist with making each event safe and successful.
Des Moines Water Works Park Officers have been employed as police officers, so they are able to respond and provide assistance to incidents that may occur, such as assaults, car chases, lost people and pets. Citizens can also contact a Park Officer about a complaint or suspicious activity at a Des Moines Water Works facility or property.
Dean sees a lot of traffic – walkers/joggers, cars and bus tours – at Water Works Park during the spring, especially the weeks of the annual crabapple bloom in the Arie den Boer Arboretum. He also enjoys seeing the horseback riders on the bridle trail – a unique sight to see inside the city, as well as the many personal events, like wedding ceremonies and family reunions.
Water Works Park hours are 6:00 am-10:00 pm. Maffitt Reservoir Park hours are 7:00 am-8:00 pm (Standard Time) and 6:00 am-9:00 pm (Daylight Savings Time). For a complete list of park rules and regulations, visit http://www.dmww.com/parks-events/water-works-park.
Water Works Park Receives Grant from Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines Leadership Circle
Des Moine
s Water Works has been awarded a $100,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines Leadership Circle.
“Recreating Water Works Park will bring more vitality to the Greater Des Moines metro area. The Leadership Circle is pleased to provide funding that will ensure the success of the Water Works Park renovation master plan,” said Barry Griswell, Chair of the Leadership Circle and Chief Executive Officer of the Community Foundation.
Water Works Park is 1,500 acres located near downtown Des Moines and one of the nation’s largest urban parks. Current recreational uses of the park include walking/running, hiking and nature/bird watching. The park is home to Arie den Boer Arboretum, one of the world’s largest collections of flowering crab apple trees. The park also hosts several community events – including Jolly Holiday Lights and the Hy-Vee Fishing Derby– as well numerous private events. Water Works Park is bisected by the Raccoon River and a three mile long infiltration gallery, which is a major source of raw water for the Fleur Drive water treatment plant which provides drinking water for the Des Moines metro area.
“The Community Foundation Leadership Circle grant is a significant contribution to the funding of the master plan to re-envision and renovate Water Works Park into an education and recreation destination,” said Randy Beavers, CEO and General Manager of Des Moines Water Works. “The Water Works master plan will highlight opportunities for education and emphasize the role water plays in the community, as well as incorporate additional recreational features throughout the park.
Des Moines Water Works, in collaboration with Iowa State University Department of Landscape Architecture, hosted an international design competition in 2011 to reinvent Water Works Park. Sasaki Associates, with RDG Planning & Design and Applied Ecological Services, was selected as the Parkitecture competition winner out of 44 proposals.
It is expected the design team and Des Moines Water Works will begin developing the master plan this fall. The process will include public outreach and community involvement.
For more information on the Water Works Park plan, visit the project website at waterworkscircuit.com.
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About Des Moines Water Works
Des Moines Water Works (DMWW) is a municipal water utility serving the citizens of Des Moines and surrounding communities (approximately 500,000 people). DMWW is an independently operated public utility with a commitment to leading, advocating and investing today and in the future to deliver water you can trust for life. Des Moines Water Works also operates Water Works Park – 1,500 acres of land near downtown Des Moines, and one of the nation’s largest urban parks.
About the Community Foundation Leadership Circle
The Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines Leadership Circle is a group comprised of donors who have created a substantial endowment that supports projects or causes that provide long-term community impact and address the most critical needs in Greater Des Moines. Leadership Circle donors pledge $2 million through initial contributions and deferred gifts. Backed by its funding ability, the Leadership Circle provides grants to projects that provide significant community enhancements.
Leadership Circle Members Include: Sunnie Richer & Roger Brooks, Suzie Glazer Burt, Patty & Jim Cownie, Richard L. Deming, M.D., Michele & Barry Griswell, Charlotte & Fred S. Hubbell, Sharon & Kyle J. Krause, Jill & Mark Oman and Emily & Fred Weitz
A Day in the Life of: Des Moines Water Works Customer Service Representative
Meet Shelly. Shelly is a Customer Service Representative at Des Moines Water Works and has been helping customers for over five years. Shelly begins taking customers calls at 7:30 am. Monday mornings and the day after a holiday are usually the busiest days. Once, during a busy day, she took 100 calls by 10:30 am. Usually, she takes about 100 calls a day.
Shelly also takes care of customer requests that come via Des Moines Water Works’ website. These requests are for starting, stopping and transfer of service. Requests also come in for changes to a customer’s account information. These requests tend to be heavier towards the beginning of the month.
Shelly, along with other Customer Service Representatives, also assist customers who come to Des Moines Water Works in person for assistance. They may be coming in to bring in vouchers to assist with payment of their bill or to set up pay arrangements.
Shelly enjoys her job because she is able to talk to many people and no two calls are ever the same. Shelly says, “Every job is important at Des Moines Water Works, but the Customer Service department is the place that customers go to for answers and if I do not give them the correct information, then I am not doing my job.” Shelly also knows that she may be the only contact that a customer may have with Des Moines Water Works, so she tries to deliver the highest quality of service possible.
Des Moines Water Works Customer Service Representatives are available Monday through Friday, 7:30 am-5:30 pm, at (515) 283-8700 or in person at 2201 George Flagg Parkway, Des Moines, Iowa.
Stage 1 Water Conservation Update
Metro area residential and business customers continue to support the Stage 1 Water Conservation request made by all of the Des Moines area water utilities to voluntarily cease or reduce lawn irrigation, after pumping a record 96.6 million gallons on July 24.
With cooler temperatures, customer water demand has dropped to somewhat lower levels than typical of late summer when turf irrigation is reduced; however, river levels remain at near historic low levels, with the outlook for the remaining late summer and fall months to be drier than normal.
The metro-wide Stage 1 Water Conservation Plan – which is voluntary and targeted at reduced turf irrigation – is still in effect, and will remain in effect through the end of August. Watering of gardens, plants and other landscaping was not targeted in the Stage 1 conservation efforts and may continue through the fall. Since Stage 1 is a voluntary effort, customers who have damaged turf and desire to restore it in September – which is an ideal time for reseeding – may irrigate the damaged/repaired sections of their lawn.
“The Des Moines area water utilities continue to emphasize the wise use of water both inside and outside the home and businesses.” said Randy Beavers, Des Moines Water Works CEO and General Manager. “Residential and business customers can do their part by not over-irrigating and maintaining properly working irrigation systems.”
For more information on the Stage 1 Water Conservation Plan, as well as daily water pumpage updates, visit http://www.dsmh2o.com/reducing-water-consumption-by-10-percent.
Board of Water Works Trustees Names William Stowe as New CEO and General Manager of Des Moines Water Works
DES MOINES, Iowa (August 21, 2012) – The Board of Water Works Trustees of Des Moines Water Works has selected Bill Stowe as CEO and General Manager.
“Bill Stowe is a capable leader who is well prepared for the challenges and opportunities facing Water Works, one of Des Moines’ greatest assets,” said Graham Gillette, Board of Water Works Trustees member and co-chair of the search committee. “Bill Stowe is an innovator who understands the role Water Works plays in ensuring Central Iowa’s future.”
Stowe was one of five finalists interviewed by the Board of Trustees and questioned by employee and community panelists earlier this month. The five finalists were chosen from a large field of candidates. Stowe replaces Randy Beavers who has served Des Moines Water Works for 31 years, the last 5 as its CEO and General Manager. Beavers will retire September 7, and Stowe will assume his duties on September 24. Des Moines Water Works is a regional water utility serving approximately 500,000 people in the Des Moines metro area.
“The five finalists were all outstanding. Each would have brought a unique skill set to the job,” said Leslie Gearhart, Board of Water Works Trustees member and co-chair of the search committee. “We are grateful to the employees and members of the community who helped screen candidates during this process.”
Stowe currently serves as Assistant Manager-Public Works/Engineering for the City of Des Moines, a position he has held since 1999. Prior to that, Stowe was the Human Resources Director for the City of Des Moines, Operations Manager for MidAmerican Energy, as well as an analyst for Shell Oil, labor relations representative for Inland Steel Industries and a field examiner for the National Labor Relations Board. Stowe has a B.A. from Grinnell College, a M.S. from the University of Wisconsin, a M.S. from the University of Illinois and a J.D. from Loyola University Law School.
“It’s a privilege to have an opportunity to lead this exceptional utility in service to our community. I welcome the opportunity to join with the employees of Water Works to continue to provide valued water services to our customers throughout the region,” said Stowe.
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About Des Moines Water Works
Des Moines Water Works (DMWW) is a municipal water utility serving the citizens of Des Moines and surrounding communities (approximately 500,000 people). DMWW is an independently operated public utility with a commitment to leading, advocating and investing today and in the future to deliver water you can trust for life.
About the Board of Water Works Trustees
The Board of Water Works Trustees of the City of Des Moines, Iowa, consists of five members, appointed by the Mayor of the City of Des Moines for a term of six years. The Board of Water Works Trustees appoints Des Moines Water Works CEO and General Manager. The functions of the Board of Water Works Trustees can be described as policy making, appraisal, and evaluation.
Board of Water Works Trustees Announces Candidates for CEO and General Manager of Des Moines Water Works
DES MOINES, Iowa (July 23, 2012) – The Board of Water Works Trustees of the City of Des Moines, Iowa, announces five candidates for the position of CEO and General Manager of Des Moines Water Works. The Board of Water Works Trustees selected Colin Baenziger & Associates, a nationwide search for Des Moines Water Works, a regional utility serving approximately 500,000 people in the Des Moines metro area.
“The field of candidates for CEO and General Manager of Des Moines Water Works is impressive,” said Leslie Gearhart, Board of Water Works Trustees member and co-chair of the search committee. “The Board wanted to conduct a national search for a person with a proven track record as a leader and communicator. By the looks of the finalists we have chosen, we appear to be close to finding just that person.”
“The Board demanded the recruitment of the new CEO and General Manager of Des Moines Water Works be an open and inclusive process,” said Graham Gillette, Board of Water Works Trustees member and co-chair of the search committee. “Naturally, the next stage will include the participation of employees, City of Des Moines leadership, business leaders, individual customers, and large customers throughout the metropolitan area.”
Candidates for the position of CEO and General Manager of Des Moines Water Works are listed alphabetically.
Patrick Ball
Current position: Utilities Director, City of Cedar Rapids, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Previous experience: Director, Operations Manager, Operations Specialist and Solids Handling Operator, City of Cedar Rapids Water Pollution Control Department.
William Gilmore
Last position held: Principal, Project Manager and Group Leader, CDM Smith, Edison, NJ.
Previous experience: Deputy Director, Department of the Treasury, State of New Jersey. Executive Director, East Windsor Municipal Utilities Authority, East Windsor, NJ.
Kirk Hobbs
Current position: Vice President-Community Relations and Economic Development Duke Energy (formerly Cinergy, PSI Energy), Plainfield, IN.
Previous experience: Vice President-Business Relations and Development, Regional Director-Customer and Community Relations and Area Manager-Field Customer Relations, Duke Energy/Cinergy.
William Stowe
Current position: Assistant Manager-Public Works/Engineering, City of Des Moines, Des Moines, Iowa.
Previous experience:Human Resources Director, City of Des Moines, Des Moines, Iowa. Operations Manager, Manager of Human Resources, Manager of Employee Relations, Manager of Labor Relations, MidAmerican Energy.
Jason Yarborough
Current Position: Community Manager, Barefoot Bay, FL.
Previous experience: Utilities Director, City of Palm Bay, Palm Bay, FL. City Manager, Groveland, FL. Assistant City Manager/City Clerk, Mary Esther, FL.
The Board of Water Works Trustees invites the public to an open house to meet the candidates on Wednesday, August 8, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Des Moines Water Works, 2201 George Flagg Parkway. Each member of the Board of Trustees will individually interview each candidate the morning of Thursday, August 9. Afternoon sessions consist of candidate interviews by the full board as well as two panels consisting of Des Moines Water Works employees and community representatives. Afternoon interview sessions are open to the public. The Board’s selection will be announced the week of August 13.
Current Des Moines Water Works CEO and General Manager, Randy Beavers, P.E., informed the Board of Trustees on April 1, of his retirement, effective September 7. Mr. Beavers has been CEO and General Manager since December 2008, and served as Interim CEO & General Manager since December 2007, following the retirement of L. D. McMullen. Mr. Beavers began his career at Des Moines Water Works as Principal Engineer in 1981.
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About Des Moines Water Works
Des Moines Water Works (DMWW) is a municipal water utility serving the citizens of Des Moines and surrounding communities (approximately 500,000 customers). DMWW is an independently operated public utility with a commitment to leading, advocating and investing today and in the future to deliver water you can trust for life.
About the Board of Water Works Trustees
The Board of Water Works Trustees of the City of Des Moines, Iowa, consists of five members, appointed by the Mayor of the City of Des Moines for a term of six years. The Board of Water Works Trustees appoints Des Moines Water Works CEO and General Manager. The functions of the Board of Water Works Trustees can be described as policy making, appraisal, and evaluation.
Founding Fathers’ Foresight
As long as Des Moines Water Works has been in existence, protecting the water resources from pollution and assuring an adequate supply of water well into the future has been utmost importance. Thanks to the utility’s founding fathers – not to mention employees throughout the years – the growth of Des Moines Water Works has kept pace with the expanding needs of the community.
In 1884, the company began constructing an infiltration gallery system that would use groundwater from the Raccoon River. The infiltration gallery was the only water source at the time.
By 1919, the water supply grounds covered approximately 470 acres.
In 1925, when the Board of Water Works Trustees purchased 334 acres of land south of the Raccoon River, west of S.W. 30th Street, General Manager Charles Denman stated that the newly acquired land would insure a potential water supply large enough for a city twice the size of Des Moines.
Gradually, additional land (now known as Water Works Park) bordering the Raccoon River on both sides, extending to 63rd Street (city limits) was purchased to protect the source water and to extend the infiltration gallery.
In April of 1933, Water Works Park was opened to the public. At that time, the water supply grounds covered 1,400 acres. (Today, it spans 1,500 acres.)
Foreseeing a need for an emergency source of water, construction of a water storage reservoir near the Raccoon River southwest of Commerce began in 1943 (Maffitt Reservoir). Dale Maffitt, General Manager, was quoted in the Des Moines Tribune as saying it will insure an adequate water supply for Des Moines for many years to come.
Obviously, planning for the future didn’t end in the 1940s. Within the last 12 years, two additional water treatment facilities have been constructed. The L. D. McMullen Water Treatment Plant at Maffitt Reservoir began operation in 2000. Today, this water plant serves customers in southwest Des Moines, parts of Xenia and Warren Water Systems, Waukee and parts of Clive, Urbandale and West Des Moines. The Saylorville Water Treatment Plant went online in 2011 serving customers north of Des Moines. Long-range plans have been developed, future demand has been projected, and staff continues to prepare for the future, assuring there will be an adequate supply of water.
Water During the Economic Depression of the 1930s
The year 1932 found the country well into a major depression. Due to loss of jobs, many people in Des Moines were unable to pay their water bills. Furnishing free water on a discriminatory basis was forbidden by state law, and funds of the Board of Water Works Trustees could not be used as a means of unemployment relief. Therefore, when a water bill was not paid, the water had to be cut off. The mayor, the city health department and others urged the Board to establish a policy of leniency in reference to discontinuing water service in certain cases where the consumer was unable to pay.
A plan was developed whereby consumers were permitted to “work out” their water bills.
The weekly payroll vouchers of the Des Moines Water Works during the years of 1932-1935 showed long lists of names, with earnings listed as $3.20. Sometimes more than 100 names appeared with this amount, indicating a day’s work at 40 cents an hour for each person.This rate was not unreasonable, in view of the fact that the highest hourly rate paid to any regular Water Works employee was 85 cents an hour, for a 48-hour week.
At that time, a minimum water bill was $1.00 per quarter; the normal family bill was $2.25 per quarter.
In a Des Moines Register article, dated November 26, 1933, under a headline of “Projects in Des Moines Enable 4,500 to Pay Water Bills” were pictures of a rustic bridge, a roadway with new guard rails, and a stone bridge. A story of Water Works’ program resembling the Civil Works Administration plan followed. Consumers also helped lay water mains, inspect hydrants, and plant trees and shrubs in the “water works preserve” (now known as Water Works Park).
Economic conditions improved in 1935, and by September the list was very short, and finally “working out the water bill” was no longer necessary.