Completion of the 37-mile rural water project is set for May, a move that will provide service for patrons from Noble in Henry County to Keota in Keokuk County.

The work, contracted to Daniel Keith Yoder and Son of Wellman, started in mid-summer and involves crossing farm fields as well as some highways. The most visible aspect in the local area is the water tower immediately north of Keota.

Engineer for the project is Dave Nelson of Garden & Associates of Oskaloosa, the firm that has long served as Kalona’s engineering consultants.

Nelson explained that funding for the approximate $800,000 project “is mainly from the Rural Development division of the United States Department of Agriculture.”

The project is one of several in Iowa to address the needs of providing a safe, dependable water supply for rural residents.

At one point, it was suggested that Kalona could be involved in the project. In fact, planners met with the city council to discuss the possibility shortly after Kalona had upgraded its system.

Work on the project was greatly aided this fall by unusually mild weather.