Mishawaka Utilities Water Division: Strength Through People, Expertise, and Infrastructure

Mishawaka Utilities Water Division: Strength Through People, Expertise, and Infrastructure
By Matt Lentsch

When we talk about what makes Mishawaka Utilities Water Division (MUW) strong, it comes down to three things: our people, our expertise and our infrastructure. For generations, MUW has delivered clean, reliable, and sustainable water not just to Mishawaka, but to parts of Granger, Osceola, and other unincorporated areas of St. Joseph County—because of our unwavering investment in both.

The foundation of MUW’s success starts with the expertise of our dedicated team. We proudly employ 34 water professionals, many of whom have dedicated their entire careers to serving this community:

• 7 licensed Water Treatment Plant operators with a combined 159 years of experience.

• 19 licensed Distribution System operators bringing 409 years of experience.

• 17 Certified Backflow Inspectors who protect the safety of our water supply.

• 2 RTCR (Revised Total Coliform Rule) Level 2 Assessors ensuring regulatory compliance.

• 20 CDL Class A licensed drivers and 11 skilled Heavy Equipment Operators.

• 14 Hurty Award recipients, honored for more than 25 years of service in the water industry, a recognition signed by the Governor of Indiana.

Continuing education is not optional for our team—it’s a requirement. Our professionals consistently enhance their expertise through formal training, serve on American Water Works Association committees, present at industry conferences, and help teach the next generation of water industry professionals.

Beyond our people, MUW’s strength is backed by an extensive, modern infrastructure built for reliability and growth. Today, we operate:

• 4 Water Treatment Plants (Virgil, Division, Juday Creek, and Gumwood).

• 28 active wells pulling from the St. Joseph County Aquifer.

• 7 Booster Stations and multiple pressure regulating stations.

• 3 Elevated Storage Tanks and 6 total storage reservoirs, offering 13.5 million gallons of reserve capacity.

• Over 330 miles of distribution piping, with 8,718 valves and 3,303 fire hydrants supporting our ISO Class 2 rated Fire Department.

Our daily water production capacity stands at 39 million gallons per day, and our facilities are monitored 24/7 through a SCADA system operating on a secure, private radio network. Our Water Quality team conducts over 25,000 water tests each year—ensuring every drop that reaches our customers meets or exceeds EPA and IDEM standards.

Our Construction Crew and Maintenance Teams are equipped with a full fleet of dump trucks, excavators, loaders, backhoes, hydro excavators, and specialized valve-turning equipment to build, repair, and maintain the entire system. MUW is always ready, with on-call teams available 24/7 to respond to emergencies, leaks, and system needs.

Our Meter Department ensures accurate service and addresses customer issues such as leaks, pressure problems, and high consumption. Our Backflow Prevention team tests over 3,000 devices annually to protect against cross-contamination, all at no cost to customers.

While Mishawaka has made long-term investments in both our people and our infrastructure, the same cannot be said for the broader St. Joseph County. Today, the County itself owns no water infrastructure, has no water utility staff, and relies heavily on neighboring cities—including Mishawaka, South Bend, Elkhart, and Niles—to supply water into unincorporated areas.

This stark difference highlights just how critical MUW’s ongoing leadership, investment, and commitment are to the success and security of not only Mishawaka, but much of the surrounding region.

We are proud to serve over 51,000 consumers daily—and we’re prepared to continue doing so with excellence for generations to come.