Water Quality: Des Moines, IA
6 water systems • 254,814 people served
Some ConcernsWater Quality Summary
Des Moines is served by 6 public water systems with a combined service population of 254,814 people, and has 36 EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record. Critically, 2 of those are health-based violations, meaning one or more contaminants were detected above EPA-established safe levels — a serious public health concern. Des Moines's violation count is 127% above the national average for Iowa. Contaminants associated with violations include Fecal Coliform.
Contaminants Found
Indicates direct fecal contamination; associated with diarrhea, cramps, nausea, and potential severe illness.
Common source: Human and animal fecal waste
EPA limit: Zero tolerance (any positive triggers violations)
Water Systems Serving Des Moines
| System Name | PWSID | Source | Population | Violations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DES MOINES WATER WORKS | IA7727031 | Surface Water | 246,055 | 6 |
| SOUTHEAST POLK RWD | IA7774701 | Surface Water | 7,565 | 0 |
| VAL VISTA ESTATES | IA7727607 | Surface Water | 553 | 0 |
| MINGO WATER DEPARTMENT | IA5052087 | Groundwater | 316 | 29 |
| DMWW-GREENBRIER ESTATES | IA7709801 | Surface Water | 300 | 1 |
| CIWW (DMWW) | IA7727033 | Surface Water | 25 | 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.