Des Moines Tap Water Quality Report
Des Moines's water has 2 contaminants above EPA MCLGs. Consider using a certified water filter for additional protection.
Water system
DES MOINES WATER WORKS
People Served
245,123
Health-based violations since 2020
0
DES MOINES WATER WORKS. EPA SDWA violation data as of Q2 2026 (downloaded 2026-07-09).
Latest sample on file
Oct 2025 · DES MOINES WATER WORKS
Utilities publish newer results in their annual water quality report (Consumer Confidence Report).
Is Des Moines Tap Water Safe to Drink?
We recommend using a certified water filter for additional protection, especially for vulnerable populations like children, pregnant women, and those with compromised immune systems. Des Moines's water has 2 contaminants above EPA health-based guidelines (MCLGs), while it meets federal legal limits.
DES MOINES WATER WORKS, Des Moines's water system, serves 245,123 people. Water quality testing is conducted regularly and reported to the EPA. The latest sample on file for DES MOINES WATER WORKS is from Oct 2025.
In EPA's 2023–2026 UCMR 5 testing, DES MOINES WATER WORKS measured lithium at up to 28 µg/L, which EPA counts as above its health reference level of 10 µg/L. That level is a screening value EPA uses to decide what to study further, not a legal limit, and this result does not change this page's water-quality summary.
Boil water advisories are issued by water systems and state agencies, and they change from day to day. Boil water advisories in Iowa
Des Moines Water Service Areas
What these numbers actually mean for Des Moines, IA
We read Des Moines, IA’s published record and send you a short report — which findings warrant a decision, which to ignore, and what to do about it. Including when the answer is nothing.
- 2 contaminants above EPA MCLGs and 11 contaminants with an EPA health goal detected in some samples (no level on file)
- 92 results on file
- 24 PFAS compounds on record
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Recommended Water Filters for Des Moines
Based on Des Moines's water quality data, these NSF-certified filters are recommended to remove contaminants above EPA MCLGs.
Culligan
ZeroWater
NSF Certified:
Flow Rate
1.9 gpm
Daily Production
1 gpd
Highlights:
- Compact design
- Easy to set up
- Affordable
- NSF-42, NSF-53, NSF-401 certified
Removes 19 contaminants:
+14 more
Strontium, Molybdenum, Fluoride, Uranium, Lead, Total PFAS, Chlorine, 25, Phosphorus, Bicarbonate, Calcium, Carbonate, Magnesium, Sodium
Santevia
Bath Filter
NSF Certified:
Flow Rate
0.36 gpm
Highlights:
- Organic cotton design reduces plastic used in construction
- Affordable upfront & ongoing cost
- The only bath filter that removed 100% chlorine with “normal” faster faucet flow
Removes 1 contaminants:
Waterdrop
A1
NSF Certified:
Flow Rate
1 gpm
Highlights:
- Performance certified
- Lower price than Philips
- Hot water dispensing
- Compact design
Removes 5 contaminants:
Whirlpool Corporation
W11256135
NSF Certified:
Capacity
1001 gal
Filter Life
3 mo
Flow Rate
0.7 gpm
Removes 19 contaminants:
+14 more
Benzene, Carbofuran, Chlorine (Free), Chlorine (Total), Chlorine Dioxide, Chlorobenzene, Cryptosporidium, Ethylbenzene, Lead, Mercury, Metolachlor, Tetrachloroethylene, Toxaphene, Turbidity
Test Your Water Quality
Professional laboratory testing provides accurate, detailed analysis of your drinking water.
SimpleLab
Advanced Home Water Test
$269
Comprehensive water analysis testing over 200 contaminants including bacteria, heavy metals, and chemical compounds.
Tap Score
Haloacetic Acids (HAA9) Test
$275
Tests for disinfection byproducts formed when chlorine reacts with organic matter in water treatment.
Tap Score
Advanced Microplastics Test
$829
Cutting-edge testing for microplastics particles in drinking water using advanced laboratory techniques.
What Des Moines's water readings can explain
Utility-reported data for Des Moines includes a chlorine-based disinfectant — the readings behind these common tap water questions. We publish a city-level hardness figure for Des Moines, resolved from its water systems where they report one and estimated from county sampling where they do not. Each page starts with the hot-tap and cold-tap check, then shows what your own water system reported.
On a private well near Des Moines? Public-water results do not apply to private wells. See Polk County well water testing and USGS risk data — modeled arsenic, nitrate, and the tests to run.
Water softener cost and installation in Des Moines
Des Moines's tap water has an estimated 17.3 grains per gallon (296.0 mg/L, county sampling in Polk County) — very hard on the USGS scale, the range where scale on fixtures and appliances is the usual complaint.
Water softener cost for an estimated 17.3 gpg water in Des Moines — equipment and local installation labour for your ZIP code, with the sizing arithmetic shown in full. For the national picture first, read what a water softener costs — equipment, installation labour and ten-year ownership, each separated out. For Iowa as a whole, read water softener cost in Iowa — priced against the plumber wage published for the state.
Frequently Asked Questions About Des Moines Tap Water
Des Moines's water has 2 contaminants above EPA MCLGs. While the water meets federal legal limits, we recommend using a certified water filter for additional protection, especially for vulnerable populations like children, pregnant women, and those with compromised immune systems.
Spotted something off on this page?
Residents keep our data honest.
This form corrects our data; it does not reach DES MOINES WATER WORKS. For a problem with your water now (discolored water, no water, low pressure, a leak), contact DES MOINES WATER WORKS directly.
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