Photo: Kevin Schuchmann · CC BY-SA 3.0Living in Elkader, IA: what to set up and who to call
Elkader Muni Water Dept has a clean five-year EPA record, but its latest lead result, 5.4 ppb, was higher than 93% of similar systems’ (the action level is 15). Mercyone Elkader Medical Center, 0.6 miles away, is the nearest emergency room.
I’m new in town
What to set up in Elkader, 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 Elkader.
Power comes from Interstate Power and Light
Interstate Power and Light (Interstate Power and Light Co), an investor-owned utility, serves all of Elkader. Its homes paid an average of 17.8¢ per kWh in 2025, about $131 a month (its average across Iowa).
Start or move service: alliantenergy.com · (319) 786-4411
Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.
Water comes from Elkader Muni Water Dept
Elkader Muni Water Dept supplies almost all of Elkader. It draws ground water and serves 1,219 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 2022–Dec 2024, was 5.4 ppb, below the 15 ppb action level that applied. That’s higher than 93% of similar systems’ latest results.
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. IA2223011.
2 home internet providers serve Elkader
100% of 658 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 100% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine Communications | Fiber | 100% | 500/500 |
| Mediacom Xtream | Cable | 98% | 1,000/50 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
We don’t have Elkader’s trash rules yet
Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Elkader.
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
Elkader is in Central Community School District.
CSchool 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.
Elkader is in ZIP code 52043
ZIP codes where Elkader residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of Elkader | ZIP’s residents in Elkader |
|---|---|---|---|
| 52043 | Elkader, IA | 100% | 59% |
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 Elkader
Who supplies Elkader’s drinking water, and has it had violations?
Elkader Muni Water Dept (EPA ID IA2223011). 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 5.4 ppb (Jan 2022–Dec 2024), against a 15 ppb action level.
Who provides electricity in Elkader?
Interstate Power and Light (Interstate Power and Light Co), an investor-owned utility. Its homes paid about 17.8¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).
What internet providers serve Elkader?
Alpine Communications, Mediacom Xtream (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in Elkader?
52043. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is Elkader in?
Central Community School District.
How do I register to vote in Elkader?
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 Clayton 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: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
- 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.