Central IA Water Assn (Waverly)

Have you noticed our new logo appearing on water towers? Iowa Regional Utilities Association (IRUA), formerly operating as Central Iowa Water Association, is celebrating over 40 years of reliable service with a fresh identity. We're proud to serve more than 14,500 rural customers and 62+ communities with quality water and sewage services in select areas.

Throughout these four decades, IRUA has undergone several transformations reflecting our growth. We began in 1977 as Jasper County Water Association serving Jasper County. As our service territory expanded across multiple counties, our Board renamed us Central Iowa Water Association in 1988. The original Board likely never anticipated the tremendous demand for rural water service throughout central and northeast Iowa!

Later, we added sewage services to our portfolio, allowing us to serve more customers while expanding northward and eastward from our Newton origins. To better represent our growing service area and expanded offerings, the Board officially changed our name to Iowa Regional Utilities Association in 2000, though we continued operating as Central Iowa Water Association for years afterward.

After 40+ years of service, the Board determined it was time to make this name change visible and introduce a new logo. After careful consideration, we selected the "flowing water" design as most representative of our essential services.

Water and sewage accessibility remain crucial issues across the region. While some areas face severe drought conditions, Iowa is fortunate to have adequate resources. However, we must plan proactively for current and future needs. The demand for rural water continues unabated, with IRUA adding approximately 450 new water connections annually. Several small communities have also joined our network, with Fairbank and Gladbrook recently choosing IRUA as their provider.

Today, IRUA delivers over 1.5 billion gallons of treated water annually and remains committed to providing essential water and wastewater services throughout central and northeast Iowa!

Understanding Boil Advisories

When IRUA issues a Boil Advisory, we're notifying customers to boil tap water before consumption. These advisories are issued when conditions arise that could potentially contaminate the distribution system, such as water main breaks, widespread pressure loss, or natural disasters.

An advisory doesn't necessarily mean your water is contaminated—it indicates conditions that might have allowed contamination and that we need laboratory confirmation of water quality. Testing typically takes 24-48 hours, so we maintain the advisory until results confirm safety. We prioritize caution regarding our customers' health and recommend treating the water as unsafe until proven otherwise.

How We Notify Customers

Depending on circumstances, we alert customers through:

• Door-to-door notifications/door hangers
• Our website - www.irua.net
• Direct phone calls, emails, or texts (requires registration in our Swift911 system)

Who Is IRUA?

Formerly Jasper County Water Association, then Central Iowa Water Association, now IOWA REGIONAL UTILITIES ASSOCIATION—serving all or portions of 18 counties in central and northeast Iowa with quality, reliable, and affordable water and rural sewer services. While formally renamed in 2000, we continued operating as Central Iowa Water Association for many years.

Industry discussions increasingly focus on consolidation, partnering, or "regionalization" in rural water systems. Effective partnerships benefit customers through increased reliability and lower rates, while regulatory agencies see fewer compliance issues, and funding agencies can maximize limited resources for infrastructure improvements.

IRUA was built on partnership foundations since 1977. Our initial collaboration with Newton Water Works has benefited the city through increased water sales and lower rates for citizens, while providing IRUA with high-quality water without the challenges of maintaining treatment facilities. This successful model guides our partnerships with Marshalltown, Pella, and over 60 communities receiving water from IRUA.

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