MUSCATINE, Iowa – Staff from the City of Muscatine Department of Parks and Recreation have started the process of removing Mississippi River mud from the Mississippi Mist and the pump house that services the Mist, but that is just the first step in restoring the fountain to service.
The Mississippi Mist, located in Riverside Park, was under the floodwaters of the Mississippi River for over three months this spring, depositing a large amount of mud inside the fountain and inside the fountain’s pump house located next to the Papoose Creek Lift Station.
“Removing the mud is just the first step,” Richard Klimes, Parks & Recreation Director, said. “We then have to go through the process of cleaning, sanitizing, and checking to see if the system still works.”
As anxious as residents may be for the fountain to flow again, it will not be anytime soon that the public will be able to enjoy the cooling mist. Following cleaning and sanitizing, the fountain will be tested to ensure the equipment is functioning and was not damaged by the floodwaters. The Mist, which is classified as a pool, will have to have the water tested and the system certified to be in compliance with state regulations before being open to public use.