Drinking water quality · 2024
· Verified
What's in Cedar Rapids, IA tap water
18 contaminants were measured in the Cedar Rapids, IA water system's 2024 annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit.
- Reporting year
- 2024
- Contaminants measured
- 18
- Over federal limit
- 0
- Approaching the limit
- 2
- Service area
- IA
Where your water comes from · EPA SDWIS
Cedar Rapids, IA's drinking water comes from ground water, drawn from 54 sources.
Source
- SEMINOLE · 20
- EAST · 19
- WEST · 8
- RANNEY · 7
Treatment
- J AVENUE PLANT #1
- NW PLANT #2
Distribution
Historical readings · EPA Six-Year Review (2012–2019)
16 historically-detected contaminants in Cedar Rapids, IA
Every U.S. public water system reports compliance-monitoring data to EPA. The Six-Year Review releases the 2012–2019 window as a single dataset — here's what your system reported, year by year. Values shown are the highest detection per analyte per year, compared to the federal MCL.
| Contaminant | Worst detection | EPA limit | Years (2012–2019) |
|---|---|---|---|
NITRATE worst: 2016 | 8.23 mg/L 82% | 10 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
ARSENIC worst: 2016 | 0.00589 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.01 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
ATRAZINE worst: 2013 | 0.0007 mg/L within near national p90 | 0.003 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
RADIUM 226 228 worst: 2017 | 1.1 pCi/L within below national p90 | 5 pCi/L | '17 |
FLUORIDE worst: 2012 | 0.75 mg/L within | 4 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
HAA5 worst: 2018 | 0.007 mg/L within | 0.06 mg/L | '13'18'19 |
TTHM worst: 2018 | 0.005 mg/L within | 0.08 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
NITRITE worst: 2013 | 0.04 mg/L within | 1 mg/L | '13 |
TOLUENE worst: 2016 | 0.0005 mg/L within | 1 mg/L | '16 |
COPPER worst: 2012 | 0.121 mg/L below national p90 | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
LEAD worst: 2012 | 0.0055 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
DCAA worst: 2012 | 0.005 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
MCAA worst: 2019 | 0.003 mg/L | — | '19 |
TCAA worst: 2015 | 0.001 mg/L | — | '15'18 |
BROMODICHLOROMETHANE worst: 2012 | 0.0006 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
CHLOROFORM worst: 2012 | 0.0023 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
Disinfectants
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChlorineA disinfectant added to drinking water to kill bacteria and viruses. | 1.9–3.8 mg/LRangeSystem-wide | 4 mg/LMRDL | Approaching the limit |
Microbial
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Escherichia coli (E. coli)Escherichia coli — bacteria found in the gut of humans and animals. | Not detectedReported level2022 Annual Average | None set | None detected |
+By source (5)— 2022 Annual Average, 2023 Annual Average, 2024 Annual Average +2 more
| |||
| Total ColiformA group of bacteria used as an indicator of overall water-system sanitation. | 16Reported level2023 Annual Average | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
+By source (5)— 2023 Annual Average, 2022 Annual Average, 2021 Annual Average +2 more
| |||
Metals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| IronA naturally occurring metal common in groundwater. | 410Reported level2022 Annual Average | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
+By source (5)— 2022 Annual Average, 2024 Annual Average, 2023 Annual Average +2 more
| |||
| ManganeseA naturally occurring metal from soil and rock. | 479Reported level2021 Annual Average | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
+By source (5)— 2021 Annual Average, 2022 Annual Average, 2024 Annual Average +2 more
| |||
| SodiumA naturally occurring salt component. | 16.4Reported level2024 Annual Average | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
+By source (7)— 2024 Annual Average, 2021 Annual Average, J Ave. Plant +4 more
| |||
| ZincA naturally occurring metal that can also enter water from corroding pipes. | 9.8Reported level2024 Annual Average | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
+By source (5)— 2024 Annual Average, 2023 Annual Average, 2022 Annual Average +2 more
| |||
Physical & aggregate
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| TOCTotal organic carbon — a measure of organic material dissolved in the water. | 1.6–3.5RangeNw Plant | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
+By source (7)— Nw Plant, J Ave. Plant, 2023 Annual Average +4 more
| |||
| TurbidityA measure of cloudiness from suspended particles in the water. | 3.07 NTUReported levelNw Plant | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
+By source (2)— Nw Plant, J Ave. Plant
| |||
Radionuclides
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| RadonA naturally occurring radioactive gas that can dissolve into groundwater. | 297Reported level2020 Annual Average | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
+By source (5)— 2020 Annual Average, 2021 Annual Average, 2023 Annual Average +2 more
| |||
People also ask about Cedar Rapids, IA's water
+Is Cedar Rapids, IA tap water safe to drink in 2024?
Every one of the 18 contaminants measured in Cedar Rapids, IA's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report is below its federal limit. "Safe" under the EPA's drinking-water standards is health-based, not aesthetic — but by those standards, no measured contaminant in this report exceeds its enforceable threshold. Individual health concerns (e.g. immunocompromised, infant, pregnancy) may warrant additional filtering regardless of compliance.
+What contaminants are in Cedar Rapids, IA tap water?
18 contaminants were measured in Cedar Rapids, IA's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report, spanning metals, inorganic chemicals, and microbial. 8 have an enforceable federal limit; the rest are detected but unregulated. Every measured value, in the utility's own units, is on this page.
+Are any contaminants in Cedar Rapids, IA tap water approaching the federal limit?
2 contaminants are between 80% and 100% of the federal limit in this report: Chlorine and Nitrate. Approaching means measured but not in violation — a margin that can close quickly if conditions change.
+Where does the data on this page come from?
Every value is transcribed from Cedar Rapids, IA's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report — the annual drinking-water report every U.S. public water utility is required by federal law to publish. The original source document is archived and viewable on this site. A water-quality report covers an entire service area, not a single address.
+How often is Cedar Rapids, IA's water quality data updated?
Each U.S. public water utility publishes one Consumer Confidence Report per year, covering the prior calendar year's measurements. This page reflects the 2024 report; a new report will replace it once the utility publishes its next annual update.