As a member-owned, not-for-profit association, Iowa Regional Utilities Association (IRUA) believes members deserve a clear view of how their utility is run. Every year, IRUA publishes an annual report that shares how the system has grown, which projects are underway, and how the Association is funded. This page explains what you’ll find in each report and highlights the most recent edition, the 2025 Annual Report. The full list of current and past reports appears below.

What the Annual Reports Cover

Each annual report gives members a straightforward summary of the year. The 2025 edition, for example, includes:

• System size and growth: Meters in service, miles of pipe, water towers, booster stations, and new services added during the year.
• Water supply: The water available from each of IRUA’s sources.
• Projects and expansion: A history of how IRUA has grown, along with updates on current community projects.
• Funding: What it has cost to build the system and how that work has been paid for.
• Budget and rates: Decisions made by the Board of Directors for the coming year.
• Leadership: Key members of IRUA’s staff, including the CEO.
• Annual meeting notice: Details for the upcoming annual meeting, including nominees for the Board of Directors.

Our Commitment to Transparency

IRUA is a not-for-profit corporation under Iowa Code Chapter 504. For property owners, the service agreement includes a membership in IRUA, and that membership makes you a part-owner. IRUA provides drinking water and other services to its members at cost, so members have a real stake in how the Association is managed.

That’s why IRUA shares this information openly. A nine-member Board of Directors, representing geographic regions throughout the system, governs the Association and meets monthly. Members who would like to address the Board can contact the office. Everything IRUA does is guided by its mission:

“To provide quality, reliable water and other appropriate services to improve the quality of life of our members and enhance rural development.”

Learn more on the About Us and Board Leadership pages.

Highlights From the 2025 Annual Report

Here’s a quick look at some of the key points members will find in the 2025 Annual Report.

The system at a glance:

• More than 16,000 connections across all or portions of 18 Iowa counties
• About 4,770 miles of pipe
• 27 water towers
• 31 booster stations
• 149 new services added in 2025

Growth and partnerships: Since its start in 1977 as Jasper County Water Association, IRUA has grown county by county, serving rural members directly and partnering with towns through bulk, emergency, and franchise agreements. IRUA also maintains interconnections with Poweshiek Water Association and Rathbun Regional Water Association.

Community projects:

• Stanley: This community of 81 people has preliminary funding, expected to be a fully forgivable loan, for a new water system. Construction was targeted for the fourth quarter of 2026.
• Green Mountain: This community of 105 people has a wastewater project underway. The lagoon was finished in 2024, and sewer construction was scheduled for spring 2026.

Funding: The report puts IRUA’s total construction cost at about $245 million. That work has been financed through loans from USDA Rural Development and CoBank, about $26.7 million in grants, and about $27.6 million in member contributions.

Budget and rates: The Board of Directors approved the budget with a 14% rate increase effective January 1, 2026. IRUA’s rates are set by the Board with the agreement of its lenders, USDA Rural Development and CoBank.

Annual meeting: The 2025 Annual Report included the notice for the 2026 annual meeting, held March 16, 2026, at the Grundy Center Community Center. The notice listed the nominees for the Board of Directors and invited members to vote in person or by proxy, with one proxy per account number. For weather cancellations, members were asked to listen to KCOB, KFJB, KOEL, or KCRR.

Leadership: The report lists IRUA’s staff leadership, including Matt Mahler, P.E., CEO/Engineer.

How IRUA Has Grown Over the Years

IRUA began with the original Jasper County system, built between April 1980 and December 1981, with 950 miles of pipe serving about 2,000 member-customers. The 2025 Annual Report traces the step-by-step expansion that followed:

• 1980s: Marshall–Story, northeast Marshall, northeast Polk, and northwest Tama
• 1990s: Story, Grundy, southwest Black Hawk, and north Grundy
• 2000s: Hamilton/Hardin, northwest Black Hawk, south Butler, the Newton–Marshalltown transmission main, Bremer, Black Hawk, and Buchanan along with Aurora and Dundee, then Delaware County, Greeley, and Quasqueton
• 2010s: Rowley, Littleton, and Fairbank
• 2020s: Montour, Baxter, the Story and Marshall County retrofits, and the Radcliffe emergency connection

To see where IRUA serves today, visit the Service Areas page.

Browsing Past Reports

Past editions are listed below alongside the current report, so you can see how IRUA has grown over time. A few tips for finding what you need:

• Check the report year. Reports are labeled by the year they cover, and the annual meeting follows in the next year. For example, the 2025 Annual Report included the notice for the 2026 meeting.
• Start with the system summary. The system numbers are a quick way to compare one year with another.
• Look for project updates. Community projects often span more than one year, so earlier editions can show how a project began.

If you have trouble opening a report, give us a call and we’ll be glad to help.

Common Questions

Why does IRUA publish an annual report?

IRUA is owned by its members. The annual report keeps members informed about the system they own, including its growth, its projects, and its finances.

How can I vote for the Board of Directors?

Board elections take place at IRUA’s annual meeting. The meeting notice in the annual report lists the nominees and explains that members can vote in person or by proxy, with one proxy per account number. Only property owners can be members.

How are water rates set?

Rates are set by IRUA’s Board of Directors with the agreement of its lenders, USDA Rural Development and CoBank. The 2025 Annual Report notes a 14% rate increase effective January 1, 2026.

How do members help fund the system?

According to the 2025 Annual Report, about $27.6 million of IRUA’s total construction cost has come from member contributions. The rest has been financed through USDA Rural Development and CoBank loans, along with grants.

Can I speak with the Board?

Yes. The Board meets monthly, and members who would like to address it can contact the office at 641-792-7011 to make arrangements.

We’re Here to Help

Have a question about an annual report or IRUA’s finances? Call IRUA at 641-792-7011 or toll free at 800-400-6066, Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM, or visit the Contact Us page. For the latest updates between reports, check News & Alerts.