Des Moines, IA Water Quality Report
Is Des Moines tap water safe? See PFAS and lead contamination levels for Des Moines, Iowa. Compare to EPA limits and get filter recommendations.
Quick Answers
Is Des Moines, IA tap water safe to drink? For Des Moines, IA, the latest UCMR5 cycle reports no PFAS above thresholds. If you are on a private well or in an older Iowa home, that federal dataset does not cover you – independent testing is the only way to know.
What contaminants are in Des Moines, IA water? EPA UCMR5 tests 29 PFAS compounds plus 42+ regulated contaminants (lead, arsenic, nitrate, disinfection byproducts). The detailed table below shows every detection with comparison to EPA limits.
What filter should I use in Des Moines, IA? For Des Moines, IA households, reverse osmosis removes 90%+ of PFAS, lead, and arsenic. NSF-53 certified pitcher and faucet filters (ZeroWater, Clearly Filtered, LifeStraw) work for smaller households. Skip standard Brita filters for PFAS removal.
Des Moines, IA Water Quality Summary
Recent EPA UCMR5 monitoring shows no reported PFAS detections for Des Moines, IA water systems. That is encouraging, but it is not a guarantee: smaller utilities in Iowa are often exempt from UCMR5 testing, and private wells are never covered. Look up your exact ZIP code for the finest-grained data available.
Contamination Level: NONE – No PFAS detected in recent testing.
Lead in Des Moines, IA Water
EPA Lead and Copper Rule testing has recorded 9 lead samples for Des Moines water systems, with a 90th-percentile high of 0 mg/L (within the EPA 0.015 mg/L action level). There is no safe level of lead for children; if your home was built before 1986, a certified NSF/ANSI 53 lead-removal filter is recommended.
EPA Violations in Des Moines, IA
Des Moines public water systems have 1 health-based EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violation on record, including Arsenic. Health-based violations mean a contaminant exceeded its federal limit or required treatment was not applied.
About the Data
Source: EPA UCMR5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5), the 2023-2025 national testing program spanning 66,000+ public water systems – the broadest drinking water survey ever run in the US. Des Moines, IA serves a population of roughly 214,133.
ZIP Codes Served
Compare Des Moines, IA to Other Cities
Side-by-side PFAS contamination comparisons with same-state, regional, and national peers.
What Des Moines, Iowa Residents Should Do
- Enter your exact ZIP code at knowyourexposure.com for address-level data
- Request the latest Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) from your Iowa utility – it is free and updated annually
- Choose a filter certified for PFAS: NSF/ANSI 58 reverse osmosis (94-99% removal) or an NSF-53 pitcher
- High-exposure households (pregnancy, infants, immunocompromised) should also consider a PFAS home test kit