Photo: Jared Winkler · CC BY-SA 4.0Living in Bedford, IA: what to set up and who to call
Tap water in Bedford comes from Bedford Water Works, which has a clean five-year EPA record (about 22% of systems its size had a health-based violation) and a latest lead result below detection. The ER is a drive from Bedford: the closest is Clarinda Regional Health Center, 17.7 miles away.
I’m new in town
What to set up in Bedford, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.
Power, water and internet
Who to call to start service at a new address in Bedford.
Power comes from MidAmerican Energy
MidAmerican Energy (MidAmerican Energy Co), an investor-owned utility, serves all of Bedford. Its homes paid an average of 11.2¢ per kWh in 2025, about $93 a month (its average across Iowa).
Start or move service: midamericanenergy.com · (888) 427-5632
Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.
Water comes from Bedford Water Works
Bedford Water Works supplies almost all of Bedford. It buys treated surface water (EPA lists Sirwa #2 (Creston) as seller) and serves 1,533 people in all.
No health-based violations reported to EPA in the five years to October 2026, like 78% of the 7,966 systems serving 1,001–3,300 people.
The latest lead result on file, the 90th percentile of homes sampled in Jan 2021–Dec 2023, was 0.0 ppb, below the 15 ppb action level that applied. Results below detection are reported as 0, so 0 doesn’t mean no lead at any tap.
The system’s full record: EPA ECHO report
EPA SDWIS via Envirofacts (violations pulled Oct 9, 2026) and ECHO (lead samples, 2026Q3); service area: EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3.0 (EPA’s estimate). Violations are counted by the start of their compliance period. IA8709096.
5 home internet providers serve Bedford
100% of 858 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 100% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Fiber | Fiber | 100% | 2,000/2,000 |
| Mediacom Xtream | Cable | 98% | 1,000/50 |
| Frontier | DSL | 59% | 10/1 |
| FMTC of Stanton Iowa | Fiber | 23% | 1,000/1,000 |
| Nextlink | Fixed wireless | 46% | 1,000/500 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
Hawn Sanitation picks up trash in Bedford
Pickup days, the drop-off and recycling in Bedford, from the town’s own site.
Accepted at the curb
- Glass
- Newspaper
- Plastic
- Cans
We couldn’t find pickup days or drop-off hours. Check bedfordia.org →
From bedfordia.org, the town’s official site, checked Oct 23, 2026. Rules change: the town’s page is the last word. .
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
Bedford is in Bedford Community School District.
A−School gradeSee Schools →U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.
Town hall and registering to vote
Who to call, and how to register.
Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Jun 2023; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Bedford is in ZIP code 50833
ZIP codes where Bedford residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of Bedford | ZIP’s residents in Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50833 | Bedford, IA | 100% | 64% |
Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.
Getting around, the ER and the library
One line each; the subject pages have the rest.
ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.
Questions about living in Bedford
Who supplies Bedford’s drinking water, and has it had violations?
Bedford Water Works (EPA ID IA8709096). It reported no health-based violations to EPA in the five years to October 2026; 78% of systems its size had none. Its latest lead 90th percentile was 0.0 ppb (Jan 2021–Dec 2023), against a 15 ppb action level.
Who provides electricity in Bedford?
MidAmerican Energy (MidAmerican Energy Co), an investor-owned utility. Its homes paid about 11.2¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).
What internet providers serve Bedford?
United Fiber, Mediacom Xtream, Frontier, FMTC of Stanton Iowa, Nextlink (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in Bedford?
50833. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is Bedford in?
Bedford Community School District.
How do I register to vote in Bedford?
In Iowa you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before). Elections here are run by the Taylor County Auditor. Check your registration at sos.iowa.gov.
Sources & dates
Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.
- Water: EPA SDWIS (Envirofacts, pulled Oct 9, 2026), ECHO SDWA 2026Q3, EPA CWS Service Area Boundaries v3.0.
- Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
- Trash: Bedford’s own website (bedfordia.org), read Oct 23, 2026, pickup and drop-off facts extracted and checked against the page they came from.
- ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
- Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
- Registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
- Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.