City of Ira poised for rural water

The unincorporated community of Ira will be getting rural water after previously only having a ground source water. The Central Iowa Water Association was granted an easement from the Jasper County Board of Supervisors Tuesday which will allow the water system to connect under the Chichaqua Valley Trail.

“The water association would like to go underneath the bike trail,” Jasper County Conservation Director Keri Van Zante said. “One goes underneath the Chichaqua bike trail to get water to the town of Ira because they have always had just a ground source water, no rural water.”

Van Zante said the CIWA is trying to get the crossing by Ira completed this fall and it is pretty close to being ready to start the work on the trail.

“Ira is going to appreciate that,” supervisor Doug Cupples said.

Van Zante also talked to the association about potentially adding water sources for bikers at the locations. Currently, at the Ira location, there is no water available.

“It is a good swap,” Van Zante said. ​

A second set of easements were also granted to go under the railway bike trail in the Prairie City area.

In other business, the board gave approval for a contract with the City of Monroe for the Elderly Nutrition program. The program serves meals at noon Monday through Friday at Monroe City Hall to an average of 20 people a day. A $200 per month rent for the use of the building was approved for the project.

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com