Urbandale Buys Quarries in Johnston to Boost Its Water Supply

Urbandale has purchased 200 acres of sand quarries in Johnston to help create an independent water source for the growing city.

The Des Moines Register reports the sand quarries, located on the north side of Interstate Highway 35/80, were chosen because they contain high-quality water, according to a 2011 study commissioned by the Urbandale Water Board of Trustees.

Officials said water from the quarries is needed to keep up with booming growth. Urbandale, with 41,000 residents, is estimated to reach a population of 55,000 by 2035, the newspaper said.

“This potentially could be the first time Urbandale could have its own water source,” John McCune, president of the Water Board of Trustees, told the newspaper.

The Urbandale Water Utility supplies drinking water to more than 36,000 people; the water is purchased from the Des Moines Water Works.

Rich Foust, general manager with the water utility department, said the city wants to ensure it has enough capacity to meet demand and protect against droughts.

Population growth is expected to concentrate west of the interstate and mostly in Dallas County, Paul Dekker, community development director, told the Register.

The quarries would serve as another reserve supply for the city as residents’ use increases.

The study also identified a potential need for a water treatment plant, the newspaper said. McCune said a facility could be built five or six years down the road. Property has already been acquired.