Water Mains/Meters Information

Signing Up for Water Service

Residential and business customers who have not previously had City of Dubuque utilities in their name need to complete an Application for Utility Service and provide identification. Customers who have had service in the last three years may contact Utility Billing by email or phone at 563-589-4144 to have service initiated. All prior accounts must be paid in full before a new account can be established. 

Water Meters

Water meters record water usage, and sewer usage is calculated based upon that water usage. Charges for all services are billed to the account holder on a monthly basis. Water meters are usually located in the basement or a utility room. City code requires that “all meters shall be installed horizontally between one foot (1’) and four feet (4’) above the basement floor. 

Water meters must be installed by a licensed plumber. Meters are purchased at the Water Distribution office located at the Municipal Services Center. Connection and tapping fees are also paid at the Water Distribution Office. Prior to purchasing a water meter, a plumbing permit must be obtained from Inspection & Construction Services at the Historic Federal Building. The City of Dubuque takes care of all water meter maintenance. Property owners are responsible for protecting their meter from freezing temperatures and ensuring it is clean, dry, and is accessible at all times. 

In order to best serve you, provide at least 24 hours notice before purchasing a meter or connecting to City water. Call 563-589-4291 or email metertap@cityofdubuque.org.

Water Main Installations

All new water main installations must have a minimum pipe size of eight inches in diameter, except for hydrant branches, which must have a minimum pipe size of six inches in diameter. Use of four inch and six-inch diameter water man shall not be allowed, except to repair existing four inch or six inch mains or private service lines. 

All water main designs must include the required Iowa Department of Natural Resources investigation of potential soil and groundwater contamination from leaking underground storage tanks within 500 feet of the proposed water main construction and the appropriate selection of pipe and gasket materials to prevent permeation. 

Additional regulations can be found on the Resources for Contractors, Engineers, and Developers page.

Stormwater Management Utility

The Stormwater Management Utility is a unit within the City that manages stormwater through public right-of-way (ROW) and city property. Like water, wastewater, solid waste, and electric utilities, the Stormwater Management Utility generates its revenue solely through a user fee. All fees collected for the stormwater management utility can only be used for stormwater management activities such as the construction, maintenance, and operation of the public stormwater management system.   

All fees are based on the measurement of a property’s impervious ground coverage. By ordinance, impervious area means the number of square feet of hard-surfaced areas which either prevent or hold back water’s entry into soil mantle as it would enter under natural conditions, or cause water to run off the surface in greater quantities or at an increased rate compared to natural conditions as undeveloped property. This can include, but is not limited to, roofs, roof extensions, patios, porches, driveways, sidewalks, concrete/asphalt pavement, gravel surfaces, and athletic courts. 

There are over 20,000 properties within the Dubuque city limits. Over 15,000 of them are residential properties. Instead of utilizing the user fee to measure individual residential properties, the City used a statistical average. Eighty-five percent (85%) of all single-family homes are charged one billing unit called a Single Family Unit (SFU). The current rate is $8.85 per SFU. For non-residential properties, aerial photography and development plans are used to measure the impervious area. For every 2,917 square feet of impervious area, a non-residential property is charged one SFU.