Water Quality: Iowa City, IA
16 water systems • 97,293 people served
Multiple Health ViolationsWater Quality Summary
Iowa City is served by 16 public water systems with a combined service population of 97,293 people, and has 79 EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record. Critically, 13 of those are health-based violations, meaning one or more contaminants were detected above EPA-established safe levels — a serious public health concern. Iowa City's violation count is 399% above the national average for Iowa. Contaminants associated with violations include Chlorine Dioxide, E. coli, TTHM, Total Organic Carbon.
Contaminants Found
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)
Total trihalomethanes are linked to increased risk of bladder cancer and adverse reproductive outcomes.
Common source: Reaction of chlorine disinfectants with naturally occurring organic matter in water
EPA limit: 0.080 mg/L (80 ppb)
Not a direct health risk but reacts with disinfectants to form carcinogenic byproducts such as trihalomethanes.
Common source: Decaying plant material, algae, soil organic matter in source water
EPA limit: Treatment technique (must reduce TOC based on source water level)
Water Systems Serving Iowa City
| System Name | PWSID | Source | Population | Violations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IOWA CITY WATER DEPARTMENT | IA5225079 | Surface Water | 68,753 | 1 |
| UNIVERSITY WATER SYSTEM | IA5225101 | Surface Water | 26,684 | 7 |
| IOWA CITY REGENCY MOBILE HOME COMMUNITY | IA5225673 | Groundwater | 700 | 18 |
| SPRING VALLEY HOMEOWNERS ASSN. | IA5225303 | Groundwater | 163 | 3 |
| PRAIRIE VIEW ESTATES ASSOC JOHNSON CNTY | IA5225326 | Groundwater | 155 | 9 |
| FORESTGATE SUBDIVISION | IA5225307 | Groundwater | 140 | 1 |
| RIVERVIEW ESTATES | IA5200347 | Groundwater | 108 | 0 |
| MAKADA HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION | IA5225304 | Groundwater | 85 | 9 |
| TIMBER TRAIL HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION | IA5200303 | Groundwater | 80 | 2 |
| ORCHARD VIEW ESTATES | IA5282304 | Groundwater | 78 | 0 |
| WENDRAM BLUFF HOMES WATER SYSTEM | IA5225306 | Groundwater | 68 | 8 |
| TURKEY CREEK DEVELOPMENT | IA5225316 | Groundwater | 65 | 5 |
| KESSLERS HOMEOWNERS ASSN | IA5200802 | Groundwater | 60 | 9 |
| CHERRY HILLS SUBDIVISION | IA5225305 | Groundwater | 59 | 1 |
| WOODS AT HUNTER CREEK (PART 1) | IA5280304 | Groundwater | 50 | 0 |
| WALDSCHMIDT SUBDIVISION | IA9260301 | Groundwater | 45 | 6 |
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.