Tap WaterIndex

← Iowa

Tap water quality report

Des Moines Water Works

EPA monitoring tested this supplier for 96 contaminants and detected 27. A detection doesn't automatically mean the water is unsafe — the level and EPA source for each is below.

96
contaminants tested
27
detected
246,055
people served
23
health-based violations
Iowa rankingsLead in IowaPFAS in Iowa
Water source
SWP
Ownership
Local government
Counties served
Polk

Compliance record

Formal violations the EPA has on file for this supplier. A health-based violation means a contaminant limit or a required treatment was breached; the rest are monitoring or reporting failures — still violations, but not a measured health risk.

23
health-based violations
43
violations on file
0
still open
ViolationTypeStatusPeriod
TT Health-based Resolved 2017-05-01 → 2017-05-31
TT Health-based Resolved 2017-05-01 → 2017-05-31
TT Health-based Resolved 2017-05-01 → 2017-05-31
TT Health-based Resolved 2017-05-01 → 2017-05-31
MCL Health-based Resolved 2014-10-01 → 2014-12-31
MCL Health-based Resolved 2014-10-01 → 2014-12-31
MCL Health-based Resolved 2014-10-01 → 2014-12-31
MCL Health-based Resolved 2014-10-01 → 2014-12-31
MCL Health-based Resolved 2014-07-01 → 2014-09-30
MCL Health-based Resolved 2014-07-01 → 2014-09-30

Other contaminants detected

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.
ContaminantLevel vs EPA limitDetection rateSourcePeriod
Nitrate
9350 µg/L 94%
of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L
 556/568 SYR4 2012–2019
Dichloroacetic Acid
31 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 257/257 SYR4 2012–2019
Bromodichloromethane
55.1 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 256/256 SYR4 2012–2019
Chloroform
96.2 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 256/256 SYR4 2012–2019
Dibromochloromethane
32.8 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 256/256 SYR4 2012–2019
TTHM
171.7 µg/L 215%
of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 80 µg/L
 256/256 SYR4 2012–2019
Dibromoacetic Acid
4 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 235/257 SYR4 2012–2019
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
42 µg/L 70%
of the EPA limit 60 µg/L
 212/257 SYR4 2012–2019
Trichloroacetic Acid
11 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 160/257 SYR4 2012–2019
Bromoform
7.5 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 111/256 SYR4 2012–2019
Copper
130 µg/L 10%
of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L
 30/325 SYR4 2012–2019
Lead
0.0 mg/L 0%
of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L
 18/18 LCR 2024
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene
1.4 µg/L 2%
of the EPA limit 70 µg/L
 15/54 SYR4 2012–2019
Monochloroacetic Acid
3 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 11/257 SYR4 2012–2019
Lead
10 µg/L 67%
of the EPA limit 15 µg/L
 10/325 SYR4 2012–2019
Lithium
28 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 9/12 UCMR-5 2023
Atrazine
0.3000 µg/L 10%
of the EPA limit 3 µg/L
 6/34 SYR4 2012–2019
Arsenic
4 µg/L 40%
of the EPA limit 10 µg/L
 4/11 SYR4 2012–2019
Fluoride
860 µg/L 22%
of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L
 4/4 SYR4 2012–2018
Tetrachloroethylene
1 µg/L 20%
of the EPA limit 5 µg/L
 2/18 SYR4 2012–2019
Antimony, Total
5 µg/L 83%
of the EPA limit 6 µg/L
 1/6 SYR4 2012–2019
Combined Radium (-226 And -228)
2.2 pCi/L 44%
of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L
 1/6 SYR4 2012–2019
Combined Uranium
1.9 µg/L 6.3%
of the EPA limit 30 µg/L
 1/1 SYR4 2018
Dichloromethane
1.9 µg/L 38%
of the EPA limit 5 µg/L
 1/16 SYR4 2012–2019
Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U
9.8 pCi/L 65%
of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L
 1/1 SYR4 2018
Monobromoacetic Acid
1 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 1/257 SYR4 2012–2019
Toluene
0.5000 µg/L 0.1%
of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L
 1/17 SYR4 2012–2019
69 contaminants tested, none detected
1,1,1-Trichloroethane1,1,2-Trichloroethane1,1-Dichloroethylene1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene1,2-Dichloroethane1,2-Dichloropropane11Cl-PF3OUdS2,4,5-TP2,4-D4:2 Fts6:2 Fts8:2 Fts9Cl-PF3ONSAdonaAsbestosBariumBenzeneBenzo(A)PyreneBeryllium, TotalChlorobenzeneCyanideCadmiumCarbon TetrachlorideChromiumDalaponDi(2-ethylhexyl) AdipateDi(2-ethylhexyl) PhthalateDinosebDiquatEthylbenzeneGlyphosateHfpo-DaLassoMercuryNetfosaaNfdhaNmefosaaNitritePfbaPFBSPfdaPfdoaPfeesaPfhpaPfhpsPfhxaPFHXSPfmbaPfmpaPFNAPFOAPFOSPfpeaPfpesPftaPftrdaPfunaPentachlorophenolPicloramSeleniumSimazineStyreneThallium, TotalTrichloroethyleneVinyl ChlorideXylenes, TotalO-DichlorobenzeneP-Dichlorobenzenetrans-1,2-Dichloroethylene

Utility contact

Contact
DES MOINES WATER WORKS
Phone
515-283-8751
Email
puffer@dmww.com

Frequently asked questions about Des Moines Water Works

Is Des Moines Water Works tap water safe to drink?

EPA monitoring detected 27 contaminants in Des Moines Water Works's water. A detection isn't the same as a violation — most levels are within federal limits. See each level and source above, and the utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for its official compliance status.

What contaminants were detected in Des Moines Water Works's water?

EPA monitoring detected Nitrate, Dichloroacetic Acid, Bromodichloromethane, Chloroform, Dibromochloromethane, and others. The full list with the level and data source for each is above.

How many people does Des Moines Water Works serve?

Des Moines Water Works reports serving 246,055 people in Iowa, per its EPA record.

Has Des Moines Water Works had any water quality violations?

The EPA has 43 violations on file for Des Moines Water Works, of which 23 are health-based (a contaminant limit or required treatment was breached) and 0 remain open. The rest are monitoring or reporting failures.

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.