Iowa City, IA Water Quality Report
Is Iowa City tap water safe? See PFAS and lead contamination levels for Iowa City, Iowa. Compare to EPA limits and get filter recommendations.
Quick Answers
Is Iowa City, IA tap water safe to drink? Current EPA data shows no PFAS detections for Iowa City, IA public water systems. Caveats apply: Iowa utilities below the UCMR5 size threshold may never have been tested, and lead risk from pre-1986 plumbing is a separate question from PFAS.
What contaminants are in Iowa City, 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 Iowa City, IA? Match the filter to what's in Iowa water: reverse osmosis handles PFAS, lead, and arsenic together (90%+ removal); NSF-53 certified pitchers like Clearly Filtered or ZeroWater cover taps you drink from. A standard Brita pitcher will not remove PFAS.
Iowa City, IA Water Quality Summary
Iowa City, IA water systems are not currently reported as having detected PFAS in recent EPA UCMR5 testing. This does not guarantee zero contamination – monitoring is ongoing and smaller systems may not be required to test. Check your specific ZIP code for the most detailed data.
Contamination Level: NONE – No PFAS detected in recent testing.
Lead in Iowa City, IA Water
EPA Lead and Copper Rule testing has recorded 72 lead samples for Iowa City water systems, with a 90th-percentile high of 0.16 mg/L (above 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 Iowa City, IA
Iowa City public water systems have 6 health-based EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record, including Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), Lead & Copper Rule, Chromium. Health-based violations mean a contaminant exceeded its federal limit or required treatment was not applied.
About the Data
These figures come from the EPA's Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5 (UCMR5) testing program, 2023-2025. UCMR5 is the most comprehensive national drinking water survey in US history, covering 66,000+ public water systems. Population of Iowa City, IA: approximately 74,469.
ZIP Codes Served
What Iowa City, Iowa Residents Should Do
- Enter your exact ZIP code at knowyourexposure.com for address-level data
- If anyone in your household is pregnant or under 5, prioritize a certified PFAS filter now and consider a home test kit
- For long-term protection, an NSF/ANSI 58 reverse osmosis system removes 94-99% of PFAS
- Read the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) your Iowa utility publishes each year