Public water system record
Dow City Water Works
Serves an area of Crawford County, IA that includes Dow City · 467 people served
Federal records show 1 health-based violation and 4 monitoring/reporting issues for Dow City Water Works in the last ten years. The most serious issue in this window was a resolved Nitrate violation.
System profile
- Health-based violations, last 10 years
- 1
- Resolved
- 1
- Unresolved
- 0
- Any acute record
- Yes
- Monitoring issues, last 10 years
- 4
Key facts
- Dow City Water Works draws water from 1 well.
- Highest measured level in the last 10 years: Nitrate, 12 mg/L, federal limit 10 mg/L (1.2 times the limit), 2016.
- Most recent formal enforcement: signed compliance agreement by Iowa, August 1996.
- Record on file since 1979, with 4 health-based violations before October 19, 2016.
- Lead pipe inventory: 0 lead and 0 unknown out of 256 service lines.
Check whether Dow City Water Works serves your address
Health-based violations
Since October 2016Violation data reflects EPA records through March 2026. For the most current status, visit the EPA ECHO database.
| Contaminant | Rule family | Start date | Status | Acute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Nitrate
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 12 mg/L, federal limit 10 mg/L (1.2 times the limit)
|
330 | Oct 1, 2016 | Resolved | Yes |
Monitoring and reporting issues
Since October 2016Missed tests or reports, not contaminants found above a limit.
| Issue | Start date | Status |
|---|---|---|
|
Nitrate
Monitoring and reporting
|
May 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
Nitrate
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
Nitrate
Monitoring and reporting
|
Nov 1, 2019 | Resolved |
|
Revised Total Coliform Rule
Monitoring violation
|
Nov 1, 2019 | Resolved |
Full record since 1979
EPA's records for Dow City Water Works go back to 1979. Before October 19, 2016 they list 4 health-based violations (2 resolved, 2 archived by EPA without a recorded fix) and 9 monitoring or reporting violations.
| Violations that began in | Health-based | Monitoring and reporting |
|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2 | 0 |
| 1990s | 1 | 8 |
| 2000s | 0 | 1 |
| 2010 to October 18, 2016 | 1 | 0 |
| October 19, 2016 to 2019 | 0 | 2 |
| 2020s | 0 | 2 |
Most recent health-based violation before October 19, 2016: Nitrate (acute), began October 2016, Resolved.
Show all 4 health-based violations before October 19, 2016
| Contaminant | Start date | Status |
|---|---|---|
|
Nitrate (acute)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 12 mg/L, federal limit 10 mg/L (1.2 times the limit)
|
Oct 1, 2016 | Resolved |
|
Nitrate (acute)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Oct 1, 1999 | Resolved |
|
Selenium
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Nov 20, 1979 | Archived |
|
Selenium
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Nov 19, 1979 | Archived |
Enforcement actions
Iowa regulators took 1 formal enforcement action against Dow City Water Works in 1996, filed as 3 records in EPA's data. The most recent was a signed compliance agreement in August 1996.
| Date | By | Action | Violations covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 5, 1996 | Iowa | Signed compliance agreement | 3 violations: Antimony, Total, Nitrite, Nitrate |
What the violations mean
Nitrate
1 incidentNitrate exceeded the federal limit
High nitrate is especially dangerous for infants under 6 months and can cause blue baby syndrome
Where the water comes from
Dow City Water Works draws water from 1 well.
Annual water quality report
Dow City Water Works must give its customers an annual water quality report (Consumer Confidence Report) by July 1, with the levels its tests found in the previous year.
Systems serving 500 or fewer people may meet the rule by telling customers the report is available on request, so you may need to ask Dow City Water Works for a copy.
Find a posted report with EPA's Consumer Confidence Report search
Testing your own water
To test the water at your tap, or a private well this record does not cover, use a laboratory certified for drinking water by Iowa.
Certified drinking water labs by state EPA guidance for private wells