Iron
EPA Secondary Standard
0.3 mg/L
A non-enforceable guideline set for taste, odor and appearance — not health. Water systems are not required to meet it.
On a private well?
This page covers Iron in public water systems. Private wells are unregulated and not tested by anyone unless you arrange it.
Iron in private well water →What You May Notice
Above EPA's secondary standard, Iron can cause: rusty color; sediment; metallic taste; reddish or orange staining.
EPA regulates Iron under a secondary drinking water standard — a non-enforceable guideline set for taste, odor and appearance rather than health. Water systems are not required to meet it, and exceeding it is an aesthetic problem, not a known health risk.
Source: EPA — National Secondary Drinking Water Regulations (retrieved 2026-07-27)
Is your Iron result safe? Get a free reading
The EPA Secondary Standard for Iron is 0.3 mg/L. Upload your water test (PDF or a photo) and we'll email a plain-English reading of where your result lands — and every other number — free. Educational only, no medical claims.
Your upload also helps us keep local water data accurate — we only ever share anonymized, area-level summaries.
Upload my testHow to Remove It
Water filters certified under the following NSF standards are effective at removing Iron:
Need whole-house or professional water treatment?
For the problems a pitcher or under-sink filter cannot fix — scale, rust and black staining, sulfur smell, well contamination, or test results you cannot explain. Tell us what is happening and we will connect you with a local water-treatment professional.
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Where is Iron Found?
Iron has been detected above EPA health guidelines in 1 cities serving 0.0M people across the US.
About the EPA Secondary Standard
EPA secondary standards (SMCLs) cover taste, odor, color and staining. They are guidelines, not enforceable limits, and exceeding one is an aesthetic issue rather than a known health risk.
Contaminant Type
Iron is classified as a Metals contaminant.
Check Your Water
Find out if Iron is in your tap water.
Search cities for Iron dataTest Your Water for This Contaminant
Public water reports may not test frequently enough or at your specific tap. Professional home testing provides current, location-specific results.
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