Water Quality: Cedar Rapids, IA
15 water systems • 143,238 people served
Multiple Health ViolationsWater Quality Summary
Cedar Rapids is served by 15 public water systems with a combined service population of 143,238 people, and has 426 EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record. Critically, 7 of those are health-based violations, meaning one or more contaminants were detected above EPA-established safe levels — a serious public health concern. Cedar Rapids's violation count is 2591% above the national average for Iowa. Contaminants associated with violations include Chlorine, Chlorine Dioxide, Contaminant 1041, E. coli.
Contaminants Found
Eye and nose irritation at high levels; long-term exposure above the MCL may cause liver and kidney damage.
Common source: Water treatment disinfectant added to kill harmful microorganisms
EPA limit: 4.0 mg/L (MRDL — Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level)
Can cause anemia in infants and young children; may cause nervous system effects at high levels.
Common source: Water treatment disinfectant used to control taste, odor, and microorganisms
EPA limit: 0.8 mg/L
Causes gastrointestinal illness; certain strains (e.g., O157:H7) can cause severe kidney failure and death.
Common source: Fecal contamination from humans or animals entering the water supply
EPA limit: Zero (no E. coli permitted in drinking water)
Water Systems Serving Cedar Rapids
| System Name | PWSID | Source | Population | Violations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEDAR RAPIDS WATER DEPARTMENT | IA5715093 | Surface Water | 141,831 | 3 |
| MARTELLE WATER WORKS | IA5337046 | Groundwater | 249 | 4 |
| COUNTRY MANOR ESTATES | IA5784307 | Groundwater | 228 | 35 |
| VERN ACRES (OLIPHANT ADDITION) | IA5784303 | Groundwater | 150 | 32 |
| OAK VALLEY | IA5784311 | Groundwater | 100 | 40 |
| DEER RIDGE HOMEOWNERS WATER ASSC. | IA5765303 | Groundwater | 94 | 2 |
| TWIN KNOLLS FOURTH/FIFTH ADDITION | IA5784326 | Groundwater | 90 | 34 |
| OAK RIDGE LAKE ESTATES | IA5225302 | Groundwater | 88 | 22 |
| WEST POST ESTATES ADDITION | IA5731301 | Groundwater | 85 | 0 |
| BIG CREEK BLUFFS | IA5784309 | Groundwater | 80 | 22 |
| BRITTANY ESTATES HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION | IA5715301 | Groundwater | 72 | 1 |
| GLENN OAKS ADDITION | IA5784313 | Groundwater | 58 | 189 |
| CRESTWOOD ACRES | IA5784314 | Groundwater | 50 | 18 |
| CHESTNUT RIDGE | IA5784312 | Groundwater | 33 | 24 |
| KURTH ADDITION | IA5784319 | Groundwater | 30 | 0 |
Concerned About Your Water?
A home water filter can remove common contaminants. NSF-certified filters are tested against EPA standards.
Consider a reverse osmosis system for comprehensive filtration or a carbon filter for basic improvement.
Other Cities in Iowa
Data Sources
Drinking water violation data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). Data includes all recorded violations for active community water systems.