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Tap water quality report

Ottumwa, IA

EPA monitoring detected 23 contaminants across the 3 water suppliers serving Ottumwa. A detection doesn't automatically mean the water is unsafe — see the highest level found for each below, with its EPA source and period.

3
water suppliers
42,942
people served
23
contaminants found
Iowa rankings Lead in Iowa PFAS in Iowa

What was found in Ottumwa'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
Nitrate
9700 µg/L 97%
of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L
 1/3 SYR4
Fluoride
3500 µg/L 88%
of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L
 2/3 SYR4
Lead
605 µg/L 4033%
of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 15 µg/L
 2/3 SYR4
Lithium
420 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/3 UCMR-5
TTHM
110 µg/L 138%
of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 80 µg/L
 3/3 SYR4
Copper
108 µg/L 8.3%
of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L
 3/3 SYR4
Chloroform
92.2 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 3/3 SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
86.1 µg/L 143%
of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 60 µg/L
 3/3 SYR4
Barium
80.4 µg/L 4%
of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L
 1/3 SYR4
Dichloroacetic Acid
40 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 3/3 SYR4
Monochloroacetic Acid
38 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/3 SYR4
Bromodichloromethane
31 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 3/3 SYR4
Dibromochloromethane
21 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 3/3 SYR4
Trichloroacetic Acid
11 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 3/3 SYR4
Xylenes, Total
11 µg/L 0.1%
of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L
 1/3 SYR4
Bromoform
7.1 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/3 SYR4
Dibromoacetic Acid
5 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 3/3 SYR4
Arsenic
4 µg/L 40%
of the EPA limit 10 µg/L
 1/3 SYR4
Monobromoacetic Acid
3.54 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/3 SYR4
Ethylbenzene
2.7 µg/L 0.4%
of the EPA limit 700 µg/L
 1/3 SYR4
Atrazine
0.9300 µg/L 31%
of the EPA limit 3 µg/L
 1/3 SYR4
Pfba
0.0050 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 1/3 UCMR-5
Lead
0.0012 mg/L 8%
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 Ottumwa

SupplierPopulation served
OTTUMWA WATER WORKS 25,529
WAPELLO RURAL WATER ASSOC. 17,263
LEISURE LIVING MANF HOME COMMUNITY 150

Frequently asked questions about Ottumwa tap water

Is Ottumwa tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 23 contaminants in the water serving Ottumwa. 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 Ottumwa?

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

What contaminants are in Ottumwa's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Ottumwa include Nitrate, Fluoride, Lead, Lithium, TTHM. 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.