Update on Incident at Dubuque Water & Resource Recovery Center

6:30 p.m., Dec. 4, 2024

An internal gas leak at the City of Dubuque Water and Resource Recovery Center (WRRC), Dubuque’s wastewater treatment facility, caused an explosion at approximately 12:50 p.m. today (Weds., Nov. 4).

WRRC staff called 911 and Dubuque Fire Department and Dubuque Police Department responded to the scene where firefighters extinguished a gas fire and shut off gas to the facility while the issue was assessed. No injuries were reported.

The initial assessment of the incident indicates a gas leak in the sludge processing building at the facility caused the explosion. Some interior damage occurred, but the facility is able to accommodate wastewater through Dubuque’s sanitary sewer collection system. There is no impact to customers connected to the City’s sanitary sewer system, but the WRRC has paused acceptance of hauled waste customers until further notice while damage to the solids processing system is assessed and any needed repairs are initiated.  Waste haulers/customers will be updated within 24 hours.

# # #

MEDIA CONTACT
Randy Gehl, Public Information Officer
rgehl@cityofdubuque.org