Iowa Tap Water Quality
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Overview
Iowa's water story is agriculture. Des Moines Water Works runs one of the world's largest nitrate-removal facilities because the Raccoon and Des Moines Rivers drain some of the most intensively farmed land on earth, and it still delivers fully compliant water to half a million people.
Statewide, nitrate and its treatment costs dominate: dozens of small systems have installed removal equipment or drilled new wells, and the state's private wells show frequent nitrate and bacteria exceedances. Atrazine and other herbicides appear seasonally in surface water at levels below federal limits.
Common Contaminants in Iowa
The state's defining contaminant, from fertilizer and drained cropland; utilities treat or blend, and private wells are at highest risk
Spring runoff pulses appear in river-sourced systems, monitored and typically below limits
Shallow rural wells frequently test positive for coliform; state programs offer free testing
Violations & Compliance
Public systems mostly comply because they invest in treatment: the cost of nitrate removal is the real burden. Small systems account for periodic nitrate exceedances, and Iowa's water-quality debate centers on upstream farm-practice policy.
City Water Reports in Iowa
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources & References
The safety rating and guidance on this page draw on the following sources. See our full methodology.
- •US EPA Safe Drinking Water Act regulations
- •EWG Tap Water Database
- •The utility's most recent Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)
- •WHO Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality