Dubuque Boil Water Advisory Update

A portion of Dubuque remains under a precautionary boil water advisory, not a boil order.  Precautionary boil advisories are issued when a sample test indicates possible contamination of the water supply. Contamination can only be confirmed through additional testing. 

Advisories are NOT the same thing as a mandatory boil order. Instead, an advisory is a precautionary measure meant to empower customers to make the best choices for themselves, their families, or their business customers until additional testing can be completed. 

As a precaution, the City has notified the impacted area to take precautions and not use tap water for drinking, brushing your teeth, cooking, washing dishes, or washing fruits and vegetables. The City recommends customers use bottled water or tap water that has been boiled for at least one (1) minute for these activities. 

A required tank inspection test conducted on Thursday, Sept. 8, at the City’s Park Hill Water Tower on Gay Street indicated possible bacterial contamination of the water in that tank. The tank was isolated and has not been in service since that test.  As a precaution, a boil water advisory was issued for the portion of the community served by that tower. 

Following the initial test, additional water quality samples were taken from the water distribution system in the advisory area to determine the absence or presence of coliform bacteria.  The City expects to have the results of those tests early tomorrow morning (Saturday, Sept. 10).   

The results will be shared as soon as possible on the City website (www.cityofdubuque.org) and on the City’s Facebook, Twitter, and Nextdoor channels.  Phone notifications to residents/customers in the advisory area will also be made when results are available.   

We understand that the time needed to ensure the safety of the water creates uncertainty and may be an inconvenience.  We thank you for your patience with this process. 

If you would like additional information on the testing procedure followed in cooperation with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, please visit https://www.iowadnr.gov/Environmental-Protection/Water-Quality/Drinking-Water-Compliance  

To view yesterday’s original announcement and last night’s update, visit: https://www.cityofdubuque.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=5622  

To contact the City of Dubuque Water Department, call 563.690.6210. 

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