The University of Iowa

Financial Responsibilities

New Construction:

  • UI Utilities will fund installation of utility distribution services to within 300 feet of the building. These costs are covered within UI Utilities rates.
  • It is the responsibility of the building project to pay for the last 300 feet of utilities to include building interfaces, meters, and controls, and costs for acceptance testing or commissioning.
  • It is also the responsibility of the building project to pay UI Utilities for time spent in support of the construction project, where a contractor would otherwise have to be paid to perform the services or purchase parts and equipment for installation. Type of charges would include but not be limited to valve-turning, acceptance testing, water system disinfection, electric cable and cable-pulls, fiber and fiber pulls, network cabinets, switches, meters, and valves, etc.

Maintenance:

  • UI Utilities will incur costs for maintenance and repair of the system up to its point of entry into the building as described for each utility above. These costs are covered within UI Utilities rates.
  • Costs incurred for maintenance and repair of utility equipment located within the building are the responsibility of the building owner. UI Utilities may provide maintenance services for these items at the expense of the building owner, and subject to staff availability.
Service Responsibility

Central Chilled Water Service

UI Utilities will be responsible for distribution piping, from the outside of all chilled water plants to the first valve in the building being served by the central chilled water system. This includes the Building Chilled Water Interface and associated meters and controls. This does not include building chilled water pumps.

Domestic Water Service

UI Utilities will be responsible for distribution piping, from the outside of the Water Plant to the first valve in the building being served by the UI water system. UI Utilities will specify water meters. Contractor will supply and install domestic water meters and cabling.  Buildings served by either Iowa City or Coralville water systems are responsible for repairs, locates, and maintenance of this service. UI Utilities can assist with repairs for buildings on these other water systems, upon receipt of a requisition from the building. 

High Quality Water Service

UI Utilities will provide high quality water services for customers requiring water meeting specific quality requirements beyond standard domestic water produced at the Water Plant. High quality water services are billed as a combination of centrally served utility where the Utility Enterprise funds large capital equipment on behalf of the owner or on a pay-for-service basis where UI Utilities provide water treatment maintenance and testing services.

Electric Service

UI Utilities will be responsible for the procurement and installation of the high voltage primary electric distribution system to the building, and secondary service into the building. This includes all primary cabling, switchgear, distribution transformers, and the secondary service protector or the first secondary protection device.  UI Utilities will install transformers, switchgear, cabling, secondary service protection, metering and controls. Revenue metering of electricity consumption will be specified and installed by UI Meters and Controls and brought to the utilities network, for both building and exterior lighting.  Contractors will be responsible for supplying and installing utility network cabinet, utility PLC cabinet and associated raceways and junction boxes to all meters and to campus network connection via the electrical duct bank.  Contractors will also be responsible for installing exterior lighting; however, UI Utilities will maintain exterior lighting, generally consisting of wall-mounted lights, walkway and parking lot lighting.

Steam and Condensate Return Service

For the steam distribution system, from the outside wall of the UI Main Power Plant (or Oakdale Power Plant) to the building, including isolation valves and the first pressure reducing valve (PRV) in the building.  Includes maintaining metering and controls, plus the first safety relief valve. Piping of the safety relief vent to outside is the responsibility of the building. Utilities services also includes one condensate receiver in the same mechanical room as the PRV station. Piping to the condensate receiver from the building side is by others. Utilities staff will perform inspections, open and close all utility valves as required for the project (including newly installed valves), and oversee steam blows, hydro testing, and cleaning of distribution piping.

Steam meters will be specified by UI Utilities, but furnished and installed (including cabling) by the mechanical contractor for each low and high-pressure steam service into each building. UI Utilities will perform meter start-up and programming.

Storm and Sanitary Sewer

Utilities will be responsible for sewer piping, from the building wall to the first manhole on the City of Iowa City or City of Coralville sewer systems. Downspouts, roof drains, and sanitary sewer lines shall be a joint effort with Utilities and FM Building & Landscape Services (FM-BLS); financing of cost of repairs will be determined by where the problems have occurred, either inside or outside of the building footprint. Sanitary and storm water pumps located inside of buildings are the responsibility of FM-BLS. UI Utilities can provide maintenance services on equipment located inside the buildings upon receipt of a requisition, subject to availability.

Utilities Network

Utilities will specify, purchase, program, and install components for utility network switch and components for utility PLC that serve to support utilities interfaces at the building.  Meters and Controls will provide and install utility network fiber from the campus network into the building.  All connections to meters will be terminated by Meters and Controls.  Maintenance of all aspects of the Utilities network, including metering, fiber, PLCs, switches, and software will be the responsibility of Meters and Controls and costs covered by the Utility Enterprise.

Central Compressed Air

Utilities will maintain and operate the central compressed air system up to and including the PRV located at the building. Central compressed air is not a utility service that will be provided for building occupant use. Buildings should install and maintain compressors to meet internal needs.

Hot Water System (Oakdale)

Utilities will maintain the hot water distribution system from the Oakdale Power Plant wall to the first valve inside the building being served with hot water. Utilities will specify and program revenue-grade hot water meters and bring them onto the utilities network. Contractor will supply and install hot water meters and cabling.

Locate Requests

UI Utilities is a member of Iowa One Call and will provide Locate Services for UI-owned utilities. This includes electric, steam, water, chilled water, sewer and compressed air utility lines. Costs for locating are covered within UI Utility Rates. Natural gas lines are located by MidAmerican Energy up to the building meter.

Note: The party performing the work will be responsible for calling Iowa One Call for all utility locates before work begins.