Is Council Bluffs, IA Tap Water Safe? Quality & Contaminants

What was found in Council Bluffs's water

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

Contaminant	Level vs EPA limit	Suppliers	Source
Nitrate	7200 µg/L 72% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L	1/3	SYR4
Copper	780 µg/L 60% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L	3/3	SYR4
Fluoride	660 µg/L 17% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L	2/3	SYR4
Barium	550 µg/L 28% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L	2/3	SYR4
Chlorite	260 µg/L 26% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L	1/3	SYR4
Lithium	150 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/3	UCMR-5
Lead	110 µg/L 733% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 15 µg/L	1/3	SYR4
TTHM	110 µg/L 138% of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 80 µg/L	2/3	SYR4
Chloroform	76 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/3	SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)	49 µg/L 82% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L	2/3	SYR4
Dichloroacetic Acid	33 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/3	SYR4
Bromodichloromethane	22 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/3	SYR4
Trichloroacetic Acid	18 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/3	SYR4
Dibromochloromethane	10 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/3	SYR4
Arsenic	6 µg/L 60% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L	1/3	SYR4
Monochloroacetic Acid	4 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/3	SYR4
Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate	3.9 µg/L 65% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L	1/3	SYR4
Dibromoacetic Acid	3 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/3	SYR4
Combined Radium (-226 And -228)	2.4 pCi/L 48% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L	1/3	SYR4
Monobromoacetic Acid	2 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/3	SYR4
Bromoform	1.8 µg/L No EPA limit set	2/3	SYR4
P-Dichlorobenzene	1 µg/L 1.3% of the EPA limit 75 µg/L	1/3	SYR4
Toluene	0.8000 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L	1/3	SYR4
Pfpea	0.0045 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/3	UCMR-5
PFBS	0.0037 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/3	UCMR-5
Pfhxa	0.0035 µg/L No EPA limit set	1/3	UCMR-5
Lead	0.0020 mg/L 13% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L	3/3	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 Council Bluffs

Supplier	Population served
COUNCIL BLUFFS WATER WORKS	64,447
URBAN BLUFFS - NORTH	1,558
COUNTRY ESTATES MOBILE HOME PARK	35

Frequently asked questions about Council Bluffs tap water

Is Council Bluffs tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 27 contaminants in the water serving Council Bluffs. 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 Council Bluffs?

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

What contaminants are in Council Bluffs's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Council Bluffs include Nitrate, Copper, Fluoride, Barium, Chlorite. 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.