Resident tells Waukee council sandblasting debris from water tower coated his property; requests city follow-up

David Groves, a Waukee resident, told the City Council during open forum that abrasive material from a recent sandblasting operation at a city water tower landed on his property, coated vehicles and roof shingles, and killed grass in his yard.

Groves said he has photographs and submitted them to city staff and that a contractor provided a $5,000 cleanup quote that the city denied. “When your water tower got sandblasted... it still blows off on my roof. It’s abrasive,” Groves said. He described repeated efforts to clean the material from his property and expressed frustration about the length of time since the incident.

Groves said the material was thick on his driveway, that it did not wash off easily, and that spray or power-washing risks damaging roof shingles. He told the council he is 66 years old and does not want to climb on his roof to clean it. Groves said he believes the city received a notice or fine from the DNR related to the incident and asked the city to take responsibility for cleanup.

Mayor Clark indicated the council and staff would discuss the complaint internally and that someone would contact Groves this week to follow up. No formal motion or council action was taken during the meeting on the complaint.

Groves’s account included these clarifying details: he said he submitted photos to staff; he cited a $5,000 cleanup quote; he reported vegetation damage in his backyard; and he referenced the DNR taking action related to the site. City staff acknowledged receipt of photos and committed to follow up, but the council did not adopt any formal remedy during the meeting.