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From the flow of water to the flow of traffic the City of Pella Public Works Department is responsible for providing a variety of services and managing important infrastructure in the community. The Public Works Department is comprised of several divisions including Administrative, Street, Water, Wastewater and Airport. Each division is summarized below.
The Mission of the Public Works Department is to maintain, preserve, document and protect the infrastructure of the City in the most efficient and effective manner possible, while providing proactive, quality, professional, timely services to residents, businesses and visitors.
ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION
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Contact Information:
100 Truman Road
Phone: 641-628-1601
Fax: 641-628-1620
Hours of Operation:
Mon-Fri 7:00 am - 4:00 pm
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Director of Public Works: The Director of Public Works plans, directs, and coordinates all activities of the Public Works Department. Varied responsibilities include negotiating and monitoring contracts, forecasting department needs by anticipating infrastructure maintenance and program costs and effectively planning for and managing on going projects and long range goals. The Director also plays an important part in developing plans and making recommendations to the City Administrator, and ultimately to the Mayor and City Council, pertaining to the public works department, including cost/benefit analysis, manpower utilization, system maintenance, and upgrades.
Geographic Information Systems: The GIS Manager provides maintenance and oversight of the City’s mapping system. This is a complex system that tracks the City’s infrastructure. (Infrastructure includes water, sanitary sewer, storm sewer and electric lines.) The GIS Manager provides coordination of services and data with the County, other organizations and individuals regarding property and Geographic Information Systems to facilitate and infrastructure planning. Other responsibilities include coordinating and supervising the preparation of specifications, drawings, maps and cost estimates; performing field surveys and calculations; analyzing field data and creating supporting design and engineering documentation. This position also plans and prepares specifications for City projects, infrastructure improvements and demolitions.
STREET DIVISION
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Contact Information:
Phone: 641-628-1601
Fax: 641-628-1620
Hours of Operation:
Mon-Fri 7:00 am - 3:30 pm
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The Street Division is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of 58.88 miles of streets, 7.3 miles of alleys, 17.11 miles of storm sewers, 301 man holes and 662 catch basins and inlets.
The Street Division is also responsible for snow and ice control activities, maintenance of regulatory, street and other signage throughout the city, monthly brush pick up, vehicle repairs and building maintenance.
City of Pella’s Yard Waste Program
WATER DIVISION
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Contact Information:
Phone: 641-628-1601
Fax: 641-628-4114
Payment Inquiries: 641-628-4173
Hours of Operation:
Mon-Fri 7:00 am - 3:30 pm
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The Water Plant treats an average of 1.7 million gallons per day and provides water to approximately 3,925 customers. The Water Division is responsible not only for the plant itself but for the maintenance and upkeep of 77.06 miles of water lines, 489 hydrants and 1,272 valves.
The water plant is proud to report that all Federal and State requirements are continuously met or exceeded. The Water Quality Report contains important information regarding the water quality for the City of Pella customers.
WATER TESTING
The City of Pella Water Treatment Plant has been certified with the State of Iowa to test for Fluoride and Coliform Bacteria. If you would like to have your water tested, the Water Treatment Plant is happy to assist you. If you would like a bacteria sample, a sample bottle must be picked up from the Water Treatment Plant to collect the sample. Click here for Sampling Directions. All other samples can be taken in any container and need to be brought to the Plant within 24 hours of the sampling. This service is available to anyone wishing to have their water tested. If you have any questions, please call (641) 628-2464.
GET ACQUAINTED WITH YOUR WATER SYSTEM
The City of Pella Public Works Department would like to help you understand your homes water system. Your system will start with a corporation cock (brass valve) attached to the City’s water main near your home. This connection is the beginning of your water system. From your corporation cock, you will have a water line that runs to a curb stop box. This stop box will be the first shutoff to your home system. The water line continues on from that shutoff into your home. Once the water line enters your home, you will have another shutoff valve before the water meter. Most of these connections are made in a basement or a crawl space. In limited instances, the meter may be located in a closet or in a meter pit out in the yard. The water meter is the starting point for billable gallons your home uses. The water meter belongs to the homeowner. The City of Pella Public Works Department maintains this meter and replaces it when deemed necessary. Each meter is an accurate and dependable water measuring device that registers all of the gallons used in your home. There are some concerns from time to time about the accuracy of the water meters. The City of Pella uses positive displacement meters in the system. That means water has to enter the chamber to make the disk move and record any usage. It is impossible for this type of meter to register more usage than what has been used within the home. Most cases of high water usage involve leaks within the home. Leaks waste a tremendous amount of water. A toilet flapper leak, overflow leaking or a dripping faucet can easily waste thousands of gallons of water each month. If your home is connected to a sewer system, you pay for the water as it enters and as it leaves your home. This excessive usage can add up quickly. Finding the leaks and repairing them saves not only water, but also money.
A simple procedure can be used to find the leaks in your home. The first thing to do is find your meter. If you cannot find it, contact the City of Pella Public Works Department and we will assist you in locating it. Turn off all of your water inside and outside of your home, but leave your shutoff valve open. Your meter will have a small red dial or triangle on its face (see picture at the bottom of this paragraph). It is used as a leak detector. If this is moving at all, you have a water leak. If you determine you have a leak, you can either call a local plumber or call the City of Pella Public Works Department to help determine where the leak is coming from. The majority of the leaks are in the toilets. To determine if you have a leak in a toilet, put a few drops of food coloring in the toilet tank. Watch the bowl for about 15 minutes. If colored water appears in the bowl, you have a leak. In that case you can either attempt to fix it yourself, or call in a plumber. The other possible leak in a toilet will be the overflow valve. To check for this, sprinkle powder on top of the water in the tank. If this powder moves toward the overflow tube, you probably have an overflow leak. Gently bend the float arm down to shut off the valve before water spills into the tube. Toilets are notorious for their silent leaks. A toilet that overflows just one gallon every five minutes will waste 288 gallons of water per day or 8,640 gallons per month. We recommend that each homeowner familiarize themselves with their home water system. Locate your water meter and your master water supply shut-off valve. Make sure everyone in your family knows how to turn off the water supply in the event of an emergency.
WELLHEAD PROTECTION PROGRAM
The City of Pella is taking steps to keep drinking water safe. We currently draw water from six wells. These wells vary in depths from very shallow (30ft) to deep (2200 ft). Shallow aquifers are beneficial because they are easy to access and produce large quantities of water. On the other hand, because the aquifer lies close to the ground surface, human activities at the surface can affect the quality of the water.
Wellhead protection involves monitoring the uses and activities on the land area surrounding water wells in order to prevent contamination of the groundwater below the surface. Sources of contamination might be storage tanks, septic systems, pesticides, herbicides or fertilizer runoff. Completion of the wellhead protection plan results in a map identifying the capture area of the well and all potential contamination sources within this area.
An emergency response contingency plan has been prepared in case of contamination of Pella’s water supplies. Any questions regarding the Pella wellhead protection program should contact Pella Public Works, at (641) 628-1601.
RATES
Rates for water furnished by the City, on a metered basis, are hereby established as follows:
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Monthly Rates within Corporate Limits per 1,000 Gallons Used
The Minimum charge per month shall be eight dollars fifty cents ($8.50)
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| For the first 10,000 gallons per month |
$3.40 per thousand gallons |
| 10,000 - 25,000 gallons per month |
$3.26 per thousand gallons |
| 25,001 - 55,000 gallons per month |
$3.10 per thousand gallons |
| 55,001 and greater gallons per month |
$2.96 per thousand gallons |
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Monthly Rates Outside Corporate Limits per 1,000 Gallons Used
The Minimum charge per month shall be twelve dollars seventy five cents ($12.75)
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| For the first 10,000 gallons per month |
$5.10 per thousand gallons |
| 10,000 - 25,000 gallons per month |
$4.89 per thousand gallons |
| 25,001 - 55,000 gallons per month |
$4.67 per thousand gallons |
| 55,001 and greater gallons per month |
$4.46per thousand gallons |
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT
Contact Information:
Phone: 641-628-3800
Fax: 641-628-8225
Hours of Operation:
Mon - Fri 7:00 am - 3:30 pm
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The Wastewater Treatment Plant processes an average daily flow of 1.6 mgd. The Wastewater Division is responsible not only for the plant and plant operations but also for 74.71 miles of sanitary sewer lines and 1,303 manholes.
RATES
The minimum charge per month shall be ten dollars and fifty cents ($10.50). In addition, each contributor shall pay a user charge rate for operation and maintenance including replacement of three dollars and twenty three cents ($3.23) per one thousand (1,000) gallons of water or wastewater.
11 YEAR CLEANING AND INSPECTING PROGRAM
The City of Pella’s sanitary sewer system is a network of pipes and access manholes that convey wastewater from homes, businesses and industries to the wastewater treatment plant located one mile south of Pella. A major portion of the system is quite old, constructed from about 1900 to 1920. Pipe sizes range from 8” to 36” diameter and are primarily constructed of clay tile, along with plastic pipe used for more recent installations. Commencing in the fall of 2004 the City of Pella Public Works Department, Wastewater Division, initiated an 11 year program to clean and inspect the entire 74.71 miles of the City of Pella’s sanitary sewer system as well as the 1,303 manholes. The purpose of this program is to be proactive in locating and repairing problem areas in the sanitary sewer system. Typical problems in the system include tree root intrusions, poorly installed or protruding private services, cracks or fractures in the pipe wall, holes in pipe walls, and pipes that are in danger of collapse due to age or structural failure. Repair methods vary from doing a point repair at the area of the defect either by excavation or cured in place pipe, to lining of an entire segment of sewer with cured in place pipe, or complete excavation and replacement of an entire segment of sewer. As a result of these inspections thus far we have performed lining projects on five segments of sewer, repaired several serious defects, removed constrictive root intrusions and trimmed many private services protruding into the sewer pipe. We recently completed year 4 of the program and are currently in the process of putting together a plan to line additional segments of sewer as well as address necessary point repairs. Click Year 4 Pictures to view a series of pictures from this year’s televising and cleaning program. These pictures show typical issues with mains that affect flows.
Please call the Public Works Department, Wastewater Division, at (641) 628-3800 if you have any questions about this program.
PELLA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT
Contact Information:
501 West 15th Street
Phone: 641-628-9393
Fax: 641-621-9515
Regular Hours of Operation:
Mon - Sat: 7:00 am to Dusk
Sunday: Noon - 5:00 pm
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The Pella Municipal Airport is located one mile from Pella’s central business district and is a General Aviation airport (no airline service) that has been at its current site since 1967.
The airport fixed based operator is Classic Aviation, Inc., which is contracted by the City of Pella to maintain and operate the airport. Classic Aviation has been the fixed base operator at the Pella Municipal Airport since 1988 and provides aircraft fueling and service, aircraft maintenance, flight instruction, aircraft rental, and professional pilot service.
For information on runway lengths, instrument approach procedures, and services available visit www.airnav.com/airport/KPEA . Information can also be obtained by contacting Classic Aviation at 641-628-9393 or by visiting www.flyclassicaviation.com.
Special Events: Each year the Pella Municipal airport holds a Flight Breakfast / Airport Open House on the Saturday of the Pella Tulip Festival during the first week of May.
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