MUSCATINE, Iowa – Water and wastewater workers are the often-overlooked heroes who keep our communities healthy, safe, and thriving. Every day, Iowans benefit from affordable, reliable drinking water and effective wastewater treatment—services that are easy to take for granted.
Gov. Kim Reynolds has proclaimed August 17–23, 2025, as Water and Wastewater Workers of Iowa Week, a time to recognize the professionals who safeguard public health and protect the environment through their work.
During Thursday’s (Aug. 21) Muscatine City Council meeting, Mayor Brad Bark read the Governor’s proclamation and invited Jon Koch, Director of the City of Muscatine Water Resource and Recovery Facility (WRRF), and Ryan Streck, Director of Utility Service Delivery for Muscatine Power and Water (MPW), to accept the honor.
Protecting Public Health Through Wastewater Treatment
The WRRF collects and treats wastewater from homes, businesses, and industries across Muscatine. Wastewater moves through a network of pipes and pumping stations before reaching the facility, where harmful organisms and contaminants are removed. The cleaned water is then safely returned to the Mississippi River.
Koch emphasized the vital role sanitation plays in modern society, noting a poll by the British Medical Journal that ranked sanitation as the greatest medical advancement of the last 150 years—above vaccines, antibiotics, and anesthesia.
“Sanitation has been so successful in the developed world that diseases such as cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and polio are mostly unheard of,” Koch said. “Yet in developing countries without clean water and wastewater treatment, these diseases still claim more than 500,000 lives each year.”
Koch urged residents to use Water and Wastewater Workers Week as a reminder to thank those who keep Muscatine’s water safe.
“They work day and night, in every season, weekends and holidays, to ensure the health of our community,” he said. “When you think of health care, remember the people who provide these essential water services.”
Delivering Clean Drinking Water
Muscatine is fortunate to sit above the Muscatine Island Aquifer, a plentiful groundwater source. MPW’s system of wells and transmission lines delivers more than 10 billion gallons annually to homes, businesses, and industries.
“Safe, clean, and reliable water plays an important role in our lives, and many thanks go to our water utility workers for their dedication,” Streck said. “They tirelessly test and sample our water, maintain equipment, and respond to main breaks at all hours.”
Streck also noted that MPW’s annual Fall Flushing program, scheduled for Sept. 22–Oct. 17, is another way the utility ensures water quality. “Flushing keeps the system clean and allows us to test every fire hydrant in the city to make sure it’s ready in an emergency,” he said.
Recognizing Essential Service
From maintaining water quality to protecting the environment, Muscatine’s water and wastewater professionals play a critical role in everyday life. Water and Wastewater Workers of Iowa Week offers a chance to recognize their commitment and thank them for their tireless service to the community.