The Dubuque Water Department is dedicated to producing and delivering drinking water that is in compliance with all state and federal drinking water standards. We continually strive to adopt new and better methods of delivering the best quality drinking water.
Quick Links
Water Source
Dubuque’s water comes from a series of wells that pull water from underground aquifers. Our water is partially supplied by the Jordan Aquifer (also known as the Cambrian-Ordovician Aquifer) and we also draw from the Mt. Simon Aquifer and Alluvial Aquifer. Of the nine wells Dubuque currently uses for our city water supply, there are four deep wells (1,000 ft.-1800 ft.), two that draw from the Jordan and two from the Mt. Simon Aquifer. We also use five shallow wells (200 ft.) which draw from the Alluvial Aquifers.
Water Distribution
The City of Dubuque’s distribution system is composed of 330.4 miles of water mains ranging from 4-inch to 30-inch diameter, 8,008 control valves, and 2,606 fire hydrants throughout the city. It is our goal to operate and maintain a water distribution system consistent with established procedures recognized by the American Water Works Association for efficient management practices.
Lead Service Line Inventory Map
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) requires cities to identify and map all lead service lines (LSLs) within its jurisdiction and make the information available to the public by Oct 16, 2024. As a result, the City of Dubuque has created an online map that shows the water line material between water mains, stop boxes, and meters. A spreadsheet with this information is also available.
While the information on the map and in the spreadsheet has been compiled from the best information the City has available, we realize there are bound to be errors. The data is provided "as is" and is expected to change as new information becomes available.
The City has created a form allowing property owners to submit a photo and information about their water service. Filling out the form will help us update and improve the accuracy of our information.
Replacing Water Meter Interface Units
City staff is proactively replacing approximately 5,000 water meter interface units (MIUs) per year to change out the approximately 25,000 devices in use by City water customers.
The MIU is the small square device that is mounted on the exterior of homes and businesses and is connected by wire to the water meter inside the building. The water meter records the amount of water used by the customer and the MIU transmits that usage information to data collectors located throughout the city which, in turn, transmit the information to City Hall for billing purposes.
The work will be conducted by water department staff wearing City of Dubuque uniforms and driving City fleet vehicles. Changing out the old MIUs for new devices is a quick process that does not disrupt water service or data collection. Water department staff do not need access to the interior of the building to make the switch so customers will not be notified when their MIU will be replaced.
Customers with questions about this process may contact 563-589-4304 or cplumley@cityofdubuque.org.
Christopher Lester | email