Metals
Iron in U.S. tap water
80 public water systems across 21 U.S. states report Iron in their annual Consumer Confidence Report. 4 sit at or above the federal limit.
What it is
A naturally occurring metal common in groundwater.
Why it's regulated
Regulated only as a secondary (cosmetic) standard; causes rusty color, staining, and metallic taste.
At or above the federal limit (4)
| Water system | Measured | vs. limit |
|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City, UT 2024 annual report | 167 | 556.7× the limit |
| Palm Coast, FL 2024 annual report | 0–0.73 mg/L | 2.4× the limit |
| Miramar, FL 2024 annual report | 0.047–0.326 mg/L | 1.1× the limit |
| Lakewood, NJ 2025 annual report | 0.31 mg/L | 1.0× the limit |
Within the federal limit (63)
| Water system | Measured |
|---|---|
| Columbia, MO 2024 annual report | 0.172 mg/L |
| Vacaville, CA 2024 annual report | 0.17 mg/L |
| Sugar Land, TX 2024 annual report | 145 ug/L |
| Charleston, SC 2024 annual report | 0.11 mg/L |
| Fishers, IN 2024 annual report | 0.11 mg/L |
| Indianapolis, IN 2024 annual report | 0.11 mg/L |
| Morgan County, IN 2024 annual report | 0.11 mg/L |
| North Charleston, SC 2024 annual report | 0.11 mg/L |
| Westfield, IN 2024 annual report | 0.11 mg/L |
| Columbia, SC 2024 annual report | 92 ug/L |
| Oxnard, CA 2024 annual report | 74.98 ug/L |
| Albany, NY 2024 annual report | 14.9–50.8 |
| Pasadena, CA 2023 annual report | 46 ug/L |
| Tracy, CA 2024 annual report | 45 ug/L |
| Yonkers, NY 2024 annual report | 39 ug/L |
| Phoenix, AZ 2025 annual report | 0–30 ug/L |
| San Francisco SFPUC, CA 2023 annual report | 29 ug/L |
| Kent, WA 2024 annual report | 0.028 |
| Philadelphia, PA 2023 annual report | 0–0.023 |
| Fairfield, CA 2024 annual report | 21 ug/L |
| Carmel, IN 2024 annual report | 0.02 mg/L |
| Elizabeth, NJ 2024 annual report | 0.02 mg/L |
| Hayward, CA 2024 annual report | 20 ug/L |
| Sunnyvale, CA 2024 annual report | 20 ug/L |
| Fontana, CA 2024 annual report | 15.5 ug/L |
| San Mateo, CA 2024 annual report | 14 ug/L |
| Glendale, CA 2024 annual report | 6 ug/L |
| Daly City, CA 2024 annual report | 1.4 ug/L |
| Allentown, PA 2024 annual report | Not detected mg/L |
| Ann Arbor, MI 2024 annual report | Not detected mg/L |
| Catoosa Utility District Authority, TN 2025 annual report | Not detected mg/L |
| Chattanooga, TN 2025 annual report | Not detected mg/L |
| Chico, CA 2024 annual report | Not detected ug/L |
| City of Hemet, CA 2024 annual report | Not detected ug/L |
| City of Menifee, CA 2024 annual report | Not detected ug/L |
| City of Murrieta, CA 2024 annual report | Not detected ug/L |
| City of Perris, CA 2024 annual report | Not detected ug/L |
| City of San Jacinto, CA 2024 annual report | Not detected ug/L |
| City of Temecula, CA 2024 annual report | Not detected ug/L |
| Cleveland, OH 2024 annual report | Not detected |
| Columbus, OH 2025 annual report | Not detected |
| East Ridge, TN 2025 annual report | Not detected mg/L |
| East Valley Service Area, CA 2024 annual report | Not detected ug/L |
| El Monte, CA 2024 annual report | Not detected ug/L |
| Elder Mountain, TN 2025 annual report | Not detected mg/L |
| Fort Oglethorpe, TN 2025 annual report | Not detected mg/L |
| High Point, NC 2024 annual report | Not detected mg/L |
| Lookout Mountain, TN 2025 annual report | Not detected mg/L |
| Lookout Mountain, Ga, TN 2025 annual report | Not detected mg/L |
| Madison, WI 2024 annual report | Not detected mg/L |
Showing 50 of 63. The full list is in the JSON API.
Frequently asked
+What is Iron?
A naturally occurring metal common in groundwater. Regulated only as a secondary (cosmetic) standard; causes rusty color, staining, and metallic taste.
+What is the federal limit for Iron in drinking water?
The federal MCL for Iron is 300 . The EPA enforces this against the regulated reporting statistic (typically a running annual average or 90th percentile), not a single-sample spike.
+How many U.S. water systems have Iron over the federal limit?
4 of the 80 public water systems on The Water Map report Iron at or above its federal limit, spanning 21 U.S. states. The full list is on this page.
+How can I check if Iron is in my city's tap water?
Search your city on The Water Map (https://www.thewatermap.com/) or browse the list on this page. Every U.S. public water utility is required to publish an annual Consumer Confidence Report that lists every contaminant it measured, including Iron.