Lovell, a Cedar Falls native, was named to the position Oct. 23.

She previously worked as chief operating officer at Iowa Regional Utilities Association in Newton, where she had been employed since November 2014.

She has a bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University as well as holding dual certifications in drinking water treatment and distribution. One qualification Lovell said she brings the table in a humorous vein is one to escape from cattle and other livestock — a skill she learned in her previous position where she had to monitor and test water quality in rural settings.

She admitted avoiding barbed wire was more of a challenge.

Lovell

“Shelli Lovell brings a great deal of water industry experience to the position,” MWW Board of Trustees Chair Kenn Vinson told the Times-Republican in October. “Her breadth of knowledge and her standing in the drinking water community will serve MWW well.”

She succeeds Steve Sincox, who died in July. Sincox was at the helm of MWW seven years.

He was highly regarded locally and in the drinking water industry.

Lovell said there is much to learn, but she is excited for the opportunity.

MWW has a 20-person staff with a payroll slightly exceeding $1 million.

A number of residential customers are familiar with its business office, 205 E. State St.

What some may not know is a critical part of MWW operations take place at or near 1957 N. Center St. There, water is stored, repeatedly tested and delivered — among other critical tasks — to customers

Regardless of locale, staff’s mission is: Deliver clean water at affordable rates to the many businesses, industries and residents who are customers.

Two industrial customers — Alliant’s Marshalltown Generating Station (MGS) and JBS are heavy users who rely on large quantities of water to in turn, sell their products.

For MGS, it is electricity.

At JBS, it is world-renown quality pork products.

Marshalltown holds the distinction of winning three “best drinking water” in the state awards, the most recently in 2016.

“A number of residents have shared that fact with me,” Lovell said.

MWW draws its water from 10 groundwater wells.

Many years ago, T-R archives reported it drew water from the Iowa River.

MWW is not a city department. Rather, it is a stand-alone entity with its own three-person board of trustees. The trustees, with information from staff and other sources, set water rates and other MWW policy, not the city council.

Serving as trustees are local attorney Laura Eilers, retirees Kenn Vinson and Jerry Young.

Eilers is with Peglow, O’Hare and See. Vinson retired after many years of service to Alliant Energy, while Young worked in the banking industry.

During her 30-year career in the drinking water industry Lovell spent 19 years working with water and wastewater programs for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. She also served six years as the administrative affairs manager for the Cedar Rapids Water Department where she coordinated management activities related to water quality, public information and regulatory compliance.

“Do the right thing for the right reason,” is her policy when confronting issues, she said.

“I learned that from a mentor some time ago,” she said.

For fun and recreation, Lovell said she likes to quilt and hike. The latter she likes to do with her dog.

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Contact Mike Donahey at

641-753-6611, or

mdonahey@timesrepublican.com.