Contributed photo

The City of Washington has been working on water system improvement projects and the work has been noticed. Chad McCleary, Water Treatment Plant Superintendent, was recently named the 2016 community operator of the year by the Iowa Rural Water Association. City Administrator Brent Hinson said, “It’s great, I think it’s just a confirmation of some stuff we already knew. Chad (McCleary) is very dedicated, does a great job.”

McCleary shares they’ve been working on the wells over the last year, and Washington is the first municipality in the state to use flexible hose, as opposed to traditional stainless steel drop pipe. McCleary adds they’re also recasing another well, and that by doing so the well will serve the city for several more decades.

Hinson adds moving forward the City is working to keep increases to drinking water rates low, slowly going up gradually, unlike the big step they had to make for waste water rates. The City was mandated to update it’s system. He adds they’ve built the utility revenues to the point where they can fund the additional projects without shocks to residents’ wallets. For more information listen to the Washington Page here.