(Atlantic, IA) — Atlantic Municipal Utilities is launching the first phase of a long-term capital improvement plan designed to keep the city’s water system reliable, safe, and efficient for decades to come.
The project includes construction of a new 600,000-gallon Clearwell water storage tank and upgrades to the utility’s water system controls. The new tank will replace an aging 300,000-gallon storage tank that has reached the end of its useful life and is beginning to deteriorate.
AMU General Manager Matt Klein says the investment is about more than replacing aging infrastructure. He says the project is the first step in a multi-decade plan to modernize the community’s water system while continuing to provide the high-quality service customers expect.
The larger storage tank will double the system’s water storage capacity, improving AMU’s ability to meet peak demand, strengthen fire protection capabilities, provide greater operational flexibility, and maintain reliable service during maintenance or unexpected emergencies.
In addition to the new storage tank, AMU will modernize its water system controls and operational technology. Director of Water Operations Mitch Burg says the upgrades will improve system monitoring, give operators better tools to respond to changing conditions, and help maintain the high level of water quality and reliability customers have come to expect.
AMU officials say the utility has consistently exceeded state and federal drinking water standards and that the capital improvement plan is intended to protect that record through proactive infrastructure replacement and long-term planning.
Control system upgrades are expected to be completed this fall, while construction of the new Clearwell storage tank is scheduled to continue through the middle of 2027. AMU says it will provide customers with updates as the project progresses.
