MESERVEY — The City of Meservey in Cerro Gordo county is moving closer to receiving state authorization to operate a newly constructed municipal water well and increase the amount of water it can pump from its groundwater system.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has recommended approval of a modified water-use permit allowing the Cerro Gordo County community to withdraw water from two wells drilled about 575 feet into the Devonian Cedar Valley Limestone aquifer.
Under the proposed permit, Meservey would be authorized to withdraw up to 18 million gallons of water per year at a maximum pumping rate of 195 gallons per minute.
The city’s previous instantaneous pumping capacity was 133 gallons per minute. The increase to 195 gallons per minute is intended to provide Meservey with greater flexibility in operating its municipal water system.
The DNR said the modified permit includes the construction and use of the city’s new Devonian well. Water from the two wells may be used for municipal purposes both inside and outside Meservey’s corporate limits, consistent with the city’s distribution system and state law.
According to the DNR’s July 6, 2026, summary report, Meservey requested the increased capacity because the community’s water use has gradually risen in recent years as its population has increased.
State water officials concluded that pumping at the proposed rate should not deplete the aquifer or create a prolonged depression in groundwater levels.
The DNR also said it does not expect the increased pumping to interfere with neighboring water systems or private wells.
The closest major permitted water user is the City of Thornton, located more than 3.5 miles northeast of Meservey’s wells. State officials said the communities draw from different water sources and that Meservey’s additional withdrawals should not negatively affect Thornton’s water supply.
No allegations of public or private damage have been reported from Meservey’s permitted water withdrawals since the city’s original permit was granted in April 1986, according to the state report.
The DNR said there are also no definitive reports of a significant decline in aquifer levels in the area.
State officials determined that Meservey’s proposed water use serves a beneficial public purpose, including drinking water and sanitation, and found no evidence that the increased withdrawals would waste state water resources or harm the public interest.
The DNR has recommended that the modified permit be issued for a 10-year period. The permit would require Meservey to maintain monthly water-use records, submit annual reports, measure groundwater levels and pumping rates, and develop water-conservation plans for routine operations and emergencies.
The proposed permit would replace the city’s existing Water Use Permit No. 6275-R3.
The state’s recommendation is not yet final. Members of the public may submit comments concerning the proposed permit modification through August 5, 2026. Comments should reference Iowa DNR Log No. 34,699 and be submitted to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Water Supply Engineering Section in Des Moines.
