Welcome! Whether you’re buying a home, renting or building on new land, Iowa Regional Utilities Association (IRUA) makes starting water service simple. This page walks you through each step, so you know what to expect and what to have ready. If you have questions along the way, our team is just a phone call away.

Before You Begin

A few quick things to know before you apply:

• Check your location. IRUA serves all or portions of 18 Iowa counties, with more than 16,000 connections and about 4,770 miles of pipe. Visit our Service Areas page to confirm we serve your property.
• Membership comes with service. IRUA is a member-owned, not-for-profit utility. Your service agreement includes a membership with IRUA, and that membership makes you a part-owner.
• Only property owners can be members. Renters can still have water service billed to them, while the property owner remains the member.

Find the Path That Fits Your Situation

How you start service depends on whether the property already has a water connection and whether you own or rent.

You’re Buying or Own a Home That Already Has Service

If the property is already connected to the IRUA system, starting service is mostly paperwork:

1. Complete the Start / Transfer Service Form.
2. Let us know about the sale or purchase by phone or email so we can transfer billing. This step is still needed after you complete the form.
3. If you plan to rent the property to a tenant who will be billed for water, sign a Landlord/Tenant Billing Agreement.

You’re Renting a Home

Renters can set up service in two steps:

1. Complete the renter application. You’ll find it on the Start / Transfer Service Form page or on our Forms & Documents page.
2. Let us know about your move-in by phone or email.

Your landlord also signs a Landlord/Tenant Billing Agreement. This agreement is required for every account where a tenant is billed, and landlords sign it again at each transfer, including when ownership changes. Because only property owners can be members, the owner remains responsible for any unpaid balance on the account.

You’re Building on Property Without a Water Line

New connections start with a quote from our New Services department. Call 800-400-6066 to get started. Here’s what to expect:

• What’s required: an application, a connection fee and a permanent easement.
• Connection fees vary. The cost depends on whether your installation is short-side, long-side or a line extension. Our team will explain the cost in your quote.
• Typical timelines: short-side and long-side installations usually take 3 to 6 weeks. Line extensions usually take 10 to 15 weeks.
• Meter placement: meter pits are set about 10 feet inside the property line.
• Your service line: the property owner installs and maintains the service line from the meter pit.
• One meter per home: each residence needs its own meter.

What to Have Ready

Gathering a few details ahead of time helps your application move smoothly:

• The address of the property where you need service
• Your name, phone number and email address
• The date you’ll take ownership of or move into the property
• For renters, your landlord’s name and contact information

The phone number and email you share matter. IRUA uses the contact information on your Membership Agreement to send automatic outage alerts, so choose a number and email address you check often.

Set Up Easy Payments From Day One

Accounts opened after August 1, 2024 are required to enroll in automatic payments. You can choose:

• Automatic ACH withdrawal from your checking account, which has no fee
• Recurring card payments through the customer portal

Learn how to sign up on our Enroll in Autopay page. Once your account is active, register for the customer portal with your 5-digit account number and the phone number on your account. From there, you can view bills, track usage and opt in to text notifications.

What Happens Next

1. Confirm any e-signature. Some IRUA forms are signed electronically. If you sign one, watch for a verification email and confirm it, because the form isn’t submitted until you do.
2. Our team reviews your application. We’ll reach out if we need anything else, and we’ll let you know about any deposit or fee that applies to your account.
3. You’re enrolled in outage alerts automatically, using the contact information on your Membership Agreement.
4. Your first bill arrives on your property’s billing cycle. Each statement shows your due date and cycle number.

Want to see everything else you can do with your account? Visit Manage My Service.

Getting to Know Your Bill

Here’s what new members can expect from billing:

• Cycle billing. Your bill is due on the first, second, third or fourth Friday of the month, depending on your property’s billing cycle.
• Remote meter reading. Meters are read remotely by radio each month.
• Per-gallon billing. Your usage is billed per gallon.
• Monthly minimum charge. A monthly minimum charge applies to every meter in service, even in a month with no usage.
• Paperless statements. E-statements reach you sooner than paper bills. Sign up anytime in the customer portal.

Your Meter and Water Line

Meter pits are set about 10 feet inside the property line. Anything past the meter pit is the property owner’s to repair and maintain. If your meter shows water flowing continuously, we’ll send an automated leak alert so you can check your property. Save 641-321-3646 in your contacts so you’ll recognize our automated calls.

Common Questions

Is there a deposit or membership fee?

Our team will let you know about any deposit or fee that applies when we review your application. If you’d like to know before you apply, give us a call at 641-792-7011.

How long does a new connection take?

For properties that need a new line, short-side and long-side installations typically take 3 to 6 weeks, and line extensions typically take 10 to 15 weeks. Call our New Services department at 800-400-6066 for a quote.

I’m renting. Who is the member on the account?

Only property owners can be IRUA members, so your landlord remains the member. Water service can still be billed to you once your landlord signs a Landlord/Tenant Billing Agreement.

How do I register for the customer portal?

Once your account is set up, visit the customer portal and register with your 5-digit account number and the phone number on your account. If your bill shows only 4 digits, add a 0 to the beginning.

Do I need to contact IRUA after I fill out the form?

Yes. Whether you’re buying or renting, please let us know about the purchase or move-in by phone or email. That’s how we make sure billing transfers correctly.

Ready to get started? Complete the Start / Transfer Service Form, or call us at 641-792-7011 (toll free 800-400-6066), Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM. You can also email info@irua.net. We’re glad to help you get settled.