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Tap water quality report

Ames, IA

EPA monitoring detected 20 contaminants across the 4 water suppliers serving Ames. A detection doesn't automatically mean the water is unsafe — see the highest level found for each below, with its EPA source and period.

4
water suppliers
97,442
people served
20
contaminants found
Iowa rankings Lead in Iowa PFAS in Iowa

What was found in Ames's water

The highest level seen across the city's suppliers, the EPA limit for each, and where the figure comes from.

ContaminantLevel vs EPA limitSuppliersSource
Fluoride
1500 µg/L 38%
of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L
 2/4 SYR4
Copper
1250 µg/L 96%
of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L
 4/4 SYR4
Nitrate
457 µg/L 4.6%
of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L
 1/4 SYR4
Barium
430 µg/L 22%
of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L
 1/4 SYR4
Lead
150 µg/L 1000%
of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 15 µg/L
 4/4 SYR4
Nitrite
100 µg/L 10%
of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L
 1/4 SYR4
TTHM
73 µg/L 91%
of the EPA limit 80 µg/L
 3/4 SYR4
Chloroform
54 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 3/4 SYR4
Lithium
29 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/4 UCMR-5
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
25 µg/L 42%
of the EPA limit 60 µg/L
 3/4 SYR4
Dichloroacetic Acid
18 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 3/4 SYR4
Bromodichloromethane
14 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 3/4 SYR4
Monochloroacetic Acid
8.19 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 3/4 SYR4
Dibromochloromethane
6.4 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 1/4 SYR4
Trichloroacetic Acid
3 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/4 SYR4
Bromoform
2.67 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/4 SYR4
Dibromoacetic Acid
2 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/4 SYR4
Monobromoacetic Acid
1.78 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/4 SYR4
Combined Radium (-226 And -228)
1.6 pCi/L 32%
of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L
 1/4 SYR4
Lead
0.0300 mg/L 200%
above the EPA limit of 0.0150 mg/L
 4/4 LCR
Each bar shows the measured level as a share of the EPA limit: green is well under, amber is close to it, red is over. For lead and copper the limit applies to exactly the 90th-percentile figure shown, so red there means a real exceedance. For everything else the limit applies to a running annual average while the figure is the single worst sample on record — over 100% is worth reading, but is not by itself a violation. Formal violations are listed separately. These are the utilities' own EPA-reported results, not a city-wide average. A detection means the lab measured the substance — it isn't the same as exceeding a legal limit. Hover a source tag to see the EPA program and years behind each figure.

Water suppliers serving Ames

SupplierPopulation served
AMES WATER TREATMENT PLANT 55,177
ISU 42,000
MAPLE GROVE MHC 160
SQUAW VALLEY SOUTH SUBDIVISION 105

Frequently asked questions about Ames tap water

Is Ames tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 20 contaminants in the water serving Ames. A detection isn't the same as a violation — most detected levels are within federal limits. Check the level and source for each contaminant above, and your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for the official compliance status.

How many water suppliers serve Ames?

4 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Ames, Iowa to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.

What contaminants are in Ames's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Ames include Fluoride, Copper, Nitrate, Barium, Lead. The full list, with the highest level found and the data source, is in the table above.

Where does this data come from?

Every figure is official EPA drinking-water monitoring — the Lead & Copper Rule, the UCMR-5 nationwide testing program, and the EPA Six-Year Review — not our own testing. Each number is labelled with its source and period.