Work on the South Ottumwa Sewer Separation has been underway since August 2006. The project is being funded through federal appropriations, grants and local option sales tax revenues. The project is aimed at bringing Ottumwa into compliance with national clean water standards, reduce the amount of pollution being discharged into the oxbow lagoons and Des Moines River and will lower incidence of raw sewage backups in resident’s basements.
The Sewer Maintenance Department is responsible for the day-to-day cleaning, inspection, and repair of the City’s sanitary sewer lines and stormwater system including catch basins. Many problems for the homeowners are caused by grass clippings and leaves being put in the street which clogs the catch basins and gets into the sewers. Our Street Cleaners are responsible for sweeping and flushing approximately 70 miles of streets and twelve parking lots. Their goal is to clean the city streets at least four times a year. The sweepers pick up between 6 to 14 tons of dirt every day, including special requests to pick up debris that has been dumped on our streets such as trash, glass, and various household items.
The department handles citizen requests as listed below:
There are areas within the Ottumwa City Limits where multiple households are served by a private, common sewer line that may extend some distance before connecting with a public sewer. Private sewers are the responsibility of the property owners and are not maintained by the City of Ottumwa. It is not uncommon for property owners to be unaware that they are connected to a private sewer line. To determine if your home is connected into a public or private sewer main, please contact the City Engineering Department at (641) 683-0680.
