Drinking water quality · 2024

What's in Des Moines, IA tap water

18 contaminants were measured in the Des Moines, IA water system's 2024 annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit — 1 sit at or above that limit.

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Reporting year: 2024
Contaminants measured: 18
Over federal limit: 1
Approaching the limit: 0
Worst contaminant: Cis Dichloroethylene 12
Service area: IA
Source: Utility CCR

At or above the federal limit

Cis Dichloroethylene 12
Other · Reported level
0.5 mg/L

Other

Contaminant	Measured	Federal limit	Status
Cis Dichloroethylene 12	0.5 mg/LReported levelFleur Drive Treatment Plant	None set	At or above the limit
+By source (3)— Fleur Drive Treatment Plant, L.D. McMullen Water Treatment Plant, Saylorville Water Treatment Plant Fleur Drive Treatment PlantPlant 714% of limit L.D. McMullen Water Treatment PlantPlant 0% of limit Saylorville Water Treatment PlantPlant 0% of limit

Disinfectants

Contaminant	Measured	Federal limit	Status
ChlorineA disinfectant added to drinking water to kill bacteria and viruses.	1.7–3 mg/LReported levelWarren Water District	None set	Within the limit
+By source (5)— Warren Water District, East Dallas Water, Des Moines* +2 more Warren Water DistrictZone 75% of limit East Dallas WaterZone 73% of limit Des MoinesZone 63% of limit New VirginiaZone 57% of limit SE Polk Rural Water*Zone 40% of limit

Inorganic chemicals

Contaminant	Measured	Federal limit	Status
NitrateA compound from fertilizer runoff, septic systems, and erosion of natural deposits.	7.15 mg/LReported levelFleur Drive Treatment Plant	10 mg/LMCL	Within the limit
+By source (8)— Fleur Drive Treatment Plant, L.D. McMullen Water Treatment Plant, L.D. McMullen ASR Well +5 more Fleur Drive Treatment PlantPlant range0–7.15 mg/L72% of limit L.D. McMullen Water Treatment PlantPlant range0.06–5.61 mg/L56% of limit L.D. McMullen ASR WellPlant range0.09–5.21 mg/L52% of limit Louise P. Moon ASR WellPlant range0.88–3.34 mg/L33% of limit Army Post Road ASR WellPlant range0.22–1.65 mg/L16% of limit Saylorville Water Treatment PlantPlant range0–1.64 mg/L16% of limit Ankeny ASR Well 4Plant range0.1–1.15 mg/L12% of limit Ankeny ASR Well 6Plant range0.6–1.05 mg/L11% of limit
FluorideA mineral often added to drinking water to help prevent tooth decay.	1.6 mg/LReported levelArmy Post Road ASR Well	4 mg/LMCL	Within the limit
+By source (8)— Army Post Road ASR Well, Louise P. Moon ASR Well, Ankeny ASR Well 6 +5 more Army Post Road ASR WellPlant range0.93–1.6 mg/L40% of limit Louise P. Moon ASR WellPlant range0.72–1.39 mg/L35% of limit Ankeny ASR Well 6Plant range0.73–1.3 mg/L33% of limit Ankeny ASR Well 4Plant range0.81–1.2 mg/L30% of limit L.D. McMullen Water Treatment PlantPlant range0.09–0.94 mg/L24% of limit L.D. McMullen ASR WellPlant range0.6–0.94 mg/L24% of limit Fleur Drive Treatment PlantPlant range0.56–0.9 mg/L23% of limit Saylorville Water Treatment PlantPlant range0.6–0.83 mg/L21% of limit

Radionuclides

Contaminant	Measured	Federal limit	Status
Gross AlphaGross alpha particle activity — a combined measure of alpha-emitting radioactive substances.	9 pCi/LReported levelArmy Post Road ASR Well	15 pCi/LMCL	Within the limit
+By source (5)— Army Post Road ASR Well, Ankeny ASR Well 6, L.D. McMullen ASR Well +2 more Army Post Road ASR WellPlant 60% of limit Ankeny ASR Well 6Plant range3.7–9 pCi/L60% of limit L.D. McMullen ASR WellPlant 34% of limit Louise P. Moon ASR WellPlant 15% of limit Ankeny ASR Well 4Plant 12% of limit
Combined RadiumCombined radium-226 and radium-228 — naturally occurring radioactive elements.	2 pCi/LReported levelAnkeny ASR Well 6	5 pCi/LMCL	Within the limit
+By source (5)— Ankeny ASR Well 6, Army Post Road ASR Well, L.D. McMullen ASR Well +2 more Ankeny ASR Well 6Plant 40% of limit Army Post Road ASR WellPlant 36% of limit L.D. McMullen ASR WellPlant 34% of limit Ankeny ASR Well 4Plant 24% of limit Louise P. Moon ASR WellPlant 0% of limit

Physical & aggregate

Contaminant	Measured	Federal limit	Status
TurbidityA measure of cloudiness from suspended particles in the water.	0.21 NTUReported levelL.D. McMullen Water Treatment Plant	None set	Within the limit
+By source (3)— L.D. McMullen Water Treatment Plant, Fleur Drive Treatment Plant, Saylorville Water Treatment Plant L.D. McMullen Water Treatment PlantPlant range0.04–0.21 NTU21% of limit Fleur Drive Treatment PlantPlant range0.04–0.18 NTU18% of limit Saylorville Water Treatment PlantPlant range0.02–0.1 NTU10% of limit
TOCTotal organic carbon — a measure of organic material dissolved in the water.	3.49 mg/LReported levelSaylorville Water Treatment Plant	None set	Detected — no federal limit
+By source (3)— Saylorville Water Treatment Plant, Fleur Drive Treatment Plant, L.D. McMullen Water Treatment Plant Saylorville Water Treatment PlantPlant Fleur Drive Treatment PlantPlant L.D. McMullen Water Treatment PlantPlant

Metals

Contaminant	Measured	Federal limit	Status
CopperA metal that enters water from corroding household plumbing.	0.006–0.177 mg/LReported levelJohnston	None set	Within the limit
+By source (5)— Warren Water District, Des Moines, East Dallas Water +2 more Warren Water DistrictZone 4% of limit Des MoinesZone 2% of limit East Dallas WaterZone 0% of limit New VirginiaZone 0% of limit SE Polk Rural Water**Zone 0% of limit
ArsenicA naturally occurring element that also enters water from industry and agriculture.	0.001 mg/LReported levelAnkeny ASR Well 4	None set	Within the limit
+By source (4)— Ankeny ASR Well 4, Ankeny ASR Well 6, Louise P. Moon ASR Well +1 more Ankeny ASR Well 4Plant 10% of limit Ankeny ASR Well 6Plant range0–0.001 mg/L10% of limit Louise P. Moon ASR WellPlant 0% of limit L.D. McMullen ASR WellPlant 0% of limit
BariumA metal from erosion of natural deposits and industrial discharge.	0.07 mg/LReported levelSaylorville Water Treatment Plant	2 mg/LMCL	Within the limit
+By source (3)— Saylorville Water Treatment Plant, Fleur Drive Treatment Plant, L.D. McMullen Water Treatment Plant Saylorville Water Treatment PlantPlant 4% of limit Fleur Drive Treatment PlantPlant 0% of limit L.D. McMullen Water Treatment PlantPlant 0% of limit
LeadA toxic metal that leaches into water from old service lines, solder, and plumbing fixtures.	Not detected mg/LReported levelDes Moines*	None set	None detected
+By source (5)— Des Moines, East Dallas Water, New Virginia +2 more Des MoinesZone 0% of limit East Dallas WaterZone 0% of limit New VirginiaZone 0% of limit SE Polk Rural Water**Zone 0% of limit Warren Water DistrictZone 0% of limit
LithiumA naturally occurring element found in some groundwater.	9.5–14.8Reported levelNd-28	None set	Detected — no federal limit
SodiumA naturally occurring salt component.	105 mg/LReported levelArmy Post Road ASR Well	None set	Detected — no federal limit
+By source (8)— Army Post Road ASR Well, Louise P. Moon ASR Well, Ankeny ASR Well 4 +5 more Army Post Road ASR WellPlant range26–105 mg/L Louise P. Moon ASR WellPlant range21–80 mg/L Ankeny ASR Well 4Plant range23–48 mg/L Ankeny ASR Well 6Plant range23–58 mg/L Fleur Drive Treatment PlantPlant range15–48 mg/L L.D. McMullen Water Treatment PlantPlant range14–35 mg/L L.D. McMullen ASR WellPlant range16–35 mg/L Saylorville Water Treatment PlantPlant range14–22 mg/L

VOCs & pesticides

Contaminant	Measured	Federal limit	Status
Dalapon	0.2 ug/LReported levelL.D. McMullen Water Treatment Plant	200 ug/LMCL	Within the limit
+By source (3)— L.D. McMullen Water Treatment Plant, Fleur Drive Treatment Plant, Saylorville Water Treatment Plant L.D. McMullen Water Treatment PlantPlant 0% of limit Fleur Drive Treatment PlantPlant 0% of limit Saylorville Water Treatment PlantPlant 0% of limit
AtrazineA widely used agricultural herbicide that reaches water through runoff.	0.2Reported levelFleur Drive Treatment Plant	None set	Detected — no federal limit
+By source (8)— L.D. McMullen Water Treatment Plant, Saylorville Water Treatment Plant, Louise P. Moon ASR Well +5 more L.D. McMullen Water Treatment PlantPlant 0% of limit Saylorville Water Treatment PlantPlant 0% of limit Louise P. Moon ASR WellPlant 0% of limit L.D. McMullen ASR WellPlant 0% of limit Army Post Road ASR WellPlant 0% of limit Ankeny ASR Well 4Plant 0% of limit Ankeny ASR Well 6Plant 0% of limit Fleur Drive Treatment PlantPlant

PFAS ("forever chemicals")

Contaminant	Measured	Federal limit	Status
Perfluorohexanesulfonic acidPerfluorohexanesulfonic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical.'	0–0.0035 ng/LReported levelNd-28	None set	Within the limit

Microbial

Contaminant	Measured	Federal limit	Status
Total ColiformA group of bacteria used as an indicator of overall water-system sanitation.	151Reported levelDes Moines*	None set	Detected — no federal limit
+By source (5)— Des Moines, Warren Water District, SE Polk Rural Water* +2 more Des MoinesZone Warren Water DistrictZone SE Polk Rural Water*Zone East Dallas WaterZone New VirginiaZone

Source: Des Moines, IA's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report — the annual drinking-water report every U.S. utility is required to publish. The numbers on this page are the utility's own. A water-quality report covers an entire service area, not a single address.