A wet 2007 fall season, near record snowfall throughout the watershed, and torrential spring rains caused the Cedar River to reach a new ominous record high of 31.12 feet, more than 11 feet over the prior record. Approximately 9 square miles of the City was devastated including major municipal buildings such as City Hall, Fire Department Headquarters, the Police Station and the Public Works Headquarters.
Recovery
The Cedar Rapids Water Pollution Control Facilities (CRWPCF) was also heavily damaged during the flood with approximately $89 Million in repairs to bring the facility back to full operational capacity and $23 Million in mitigation measures to protect it from future flooding.
Since the CRWPCF plays an important role in protecting the health of the Cedar Rapids community, it was important to get the facility up and running as quickly as possible. Initial projections estimated a full year before service could be restored. Through the hard work and diligence of staff and contractors, the facility was able to fully treat waste water and meet Iowa Department of Natural Resources standards within 12 weeks.
Next Steps
Although the plant was operational within 12 weeks, repairs are still scheduled for critical elements of the water treatment system. It may take 5 years for the plant to fully recover from the devastating floodwaters, but throughout our recovery process we will strive to provide the highest quality service to our customers.
Plant Protection System Outline
