Storm Lake chooses Bolton & Menk to design new water plant

Storm Lake took a major step toward a new water treatment plant Monday night, choosing Bolton & Menk to lead the design work for a project that could eventually cost far more than the city has already spent on water infrastructure over the past seven years.

The City Council voted 4-0 to move forward with the firm after reviewing two proposals, with AE2S partnering with ISG serving as the other bidder. Council scoring matrices favored Bolton & Menk by 29 points, putting the company in position to negotiate a contract with City Manager Keri Navratil before the proposal returns for final approval.

That decision moves Storm Lake out of the broad planning stage and into the technical work that will determine what the plant should do, how large it must be, and what residents and businesses will pay for it. The city’s existing plant dates to 1978 and has been described as running near maximum capacity, a condition officials say no longer matches the city’s needs as population growth and commercial demand continue to strain the system.

A Water Treatment Plant Rates and Design Advisory Ad Hoc Committee formed in July 2025 met four times before presenting its recommendations. In January 2026, the committee said a new plant north of Iowa Highway 7, near existing wells and service lines, could expand capacity from about 5 million gallons per day to about 8 million gallons per day. A later city press release said a preliminary engineering report calls for an 8.8-million-gallon-per-day facility.

Cost remains the biggest question hanging over the project. Preliminary estimates have put the plant alone at as much as $100 million, while later reporting has placed the overall effort near $200 million. City officials have already said the current plant has outlived the typical lifespan of a water treatment facility, and they have warned that waiting will only push the price higher and increase the risk of system failure.

The city has been laying groundwork for months. In February, Storm Lake bought nearly 90 acres on 90th Avenue for $2.45 million, including land near Storm Lake Early Elementary School, for future public use tied to the water project. On March 9, the city issued a request for qualifications for engineering design services, with proposals due by April 3. Officials have also linked the plant to wells and storage planning, signaling that the project reaches beyond the treatment building itself.

Funding decisions are likely to affect households before any construction starts. The advisory committee said phased utility rate increases beginning July 1, 2026, would be preferable to general obligation bonds because bonds would shift more of the burden onto property taxpayers and not outside users in places such as Lakeside, Lake Creek and Truesdale. The committee also noted that the Iowa Department of Natural Resources may limit how much room the city has to build for future growth.

Bolton & Menk’s selection suggests Storm Lake is treating water capacity as a long-term municipal priority, not a deferred repair. With design work now ahead, the next stage will determine how much more the city can afford, how soon it can build, and how much the first signs of the project will reach ratepayers before the first shovel hits the ground.