Clarion New Water Treatment Plant

The Clarion water utility has great news. The "old" water treatment building was constructed in 1927 as iron removal facility. Numerous improvements and expansions over the years have expanded capacity but still the same technology. ISG of Des Moines was contracted to design a New Water Treatment Plant (WTP). This will bring Clarion to the modern era including Reverse Osmosis (RO) water filtration that will produce much softer water than currently provided. Design was completed in 2022 and work started in Spring after. The project was awarded to Peterson Construction of Webster City for $10.2 million.

The project was funded in large part through a low-interest loan, from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), total project $12.2 million including construction, engineering and legal fees. Repayment of the loan will be made from utility revenues. A series of annual rate increases were started years ago to account for the loan repayment. No rate hikes will be needed outside of these small annual increases.

Construction started in March of 2023, and the water plant began treating water in February 2026. It took nearly 3 years and 2 well pump overhauls for the plant to be able to produce water to the distribution system.

It will take anywhere from a few days to a week for this new soft water to reach your homes. That new water will be mixed with the existing water and may have a slightly cloudy appearance. That will not last long and is still 100% safe.

The softness of the water will vary from home to home depending on the path it takes through the water mains, piping and your home. Some homes may prefer not to soften it any further. Some may want it softer and will keep their in-home “water softener” (Those who do, definitely need to dial it back according to the softener’s manufacture recommendations – use 11 grains per gallon (GPG)).

The city will host an open house for the public to tour the new facility in the coming months after the project is officially closed out and all construction remnants have been removed. Follow the Monitor and Facebook for that announcement.