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Public water system record

Des Moines Water Works

Serves an area of Polk County, IA that includes Des Moines, Altoona, Bondurant and 10 more places · 246,055 people served

Federal records show 1 health-based violation and 2 monitoring/reporting issues for Des Moines Water Works in the last ten years. The most serious issue in this window was a resolved Surface Water Treatment Rule violation.

  • IA7727031
  • DES MOINES
  • IA
  • 246,055 served

System profile

Source water Purchased surface water
ZIP 50321
EPA system ID IA7727031

Verify this system on EPA ECHO →

Health-based violations, last 10 years
1
Resolved
1
Unresolved
0
Any acute record
No
Monitoring issues, last 10 years
2

Key facts

  • Des Moines Water Works buys its water from Ciww (DMWW).
  • Record on file since 1979, with 6 health-based violations before October 19, 2016.
  • Lead pipe inventory: 8,114 lead and 45,950 unknown out of 90,731 service lines.

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Health-based violations

Since October 2016

Violation data reflects EPA records through March 2026. For the most current status, visit the EPA ECHO database.

Contaminant Rule family Start date Status Acute
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
 120 May 1, 2017 Resolved No

Monitoring and reporting issues

Since October 2016

Missed tests or reports, not contaminants found above a limit.

Issue Start date Status
Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
Monitoring and reporting
 Nov 1, 2018 Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
CYANIDE
Monitoring and reporting
 Oct 1, 2009 Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.

Full record since 1979

EPA's records for Des Moines Water Works go back to 1979. Before October 19, 2016 they list 6 health-based violations (5 resolved, 1 archived by EPA without a recorded fix) and 14 monitoring or reporting violations.

Violations that began in Health-based Monitoring and reporting
1970s 0 3
1980s 1 10
2000s 0 1
2010 to October 18, 2016 5 0
October 19, 2016 to 2019 1 1

Most recent health-based violation before October 19, 2016: Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs), began October 2014, Resolved.

Show all 6 health-based violations before October 19, 2016
Contaminant Start date Status
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 0.088 mg/L, federal limit 0.08 mg/L (1.1 times the limit)
 Oct 1, 2014 Resolved
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 0.091 mg/L, federal limit 0.08 mg/L (1.1 times the limit)
 Jul 1, 2014 Resolved
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 0.081 mg/L, federal limit 0.08 mg/L (at or just above the limit)
 Apr 1, 2014 Resolved
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 0.09 mg/L, federal limit 0.08 mg/L (1.1 times the limit)
 Jan 1, 2014 Resolved
Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (acute)
Treatment technique failure
 Dec 1, 2013 Resolved
Nitrate (acute)
Contaminant limit exceeded
 Oct 1, 1983 Archived

What the violations mean

Surface Water Treatment Rule

1 incident

The system did not complete a treatment step or action that the Surface Water Treatment Rule requires (a treatment technique violation).

The utility had to notify customers about this violation.

Where the water comes from

Des Moines Water Works buys its water from Ciww (DMWW). It lists no wells or intakes of its own. 22 other community water systems buy water from Des Moines Water Works.

Buys water from

Community systems that buy water from it

Annual water quality report

Des Moines 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 10,000 or more people must mail or deliver the report to every customer, and from 2027 they must send it twice a year.

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