Public water system · IA2525010
ActiveDawson Water Works
At a glance
Dawson Water Works (PWSID IA2525010) is an active community water system in Dallas County, Iowa. It reports serving 116 people through 81 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 4 are health-based, and the most recent began in March 2026.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
116
Service connections
81
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Dawson Water Works compare with other water systems in Dallas County?
By EPA's size categories, Dawson Water Works is a very small system (500 people or fewer). Dallas County has 23 active public water systems. Its population served is well below the county average of 6,420 people per system, and accounts for less than 0.1% of the 147,667 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Iowa, the 1,828 active systems average 1,718 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Dawson Water Works is well below that figure.
What does “community water system” mean?
A community water system serves at least 15 connections used by year-round residents, or regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents. Homes, apartments and mobile-home parks are served by these. Iowa has 1,084 active community water systems, 59% of the state's 1,828 active systems. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. 1,502 Iowa systems (82%) list groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Dawson Water Works?
EPA lists Dawson Water Works as owned by a local government. The IA state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 13 of the 23 active systems in Dallas County (57%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Dawson Water Works have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 4 are health-based, and the most recent began in March 2026. The violations listed here began between November 2023 and March 2026. By type: 6 monitoring and reporting, 4 contaminant level above the legal limit and 2 public notice, recordkeeping or other. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Nitrate (5 of them). EPA lists 7 as archived and 5 as resolved. Archived means the violation was not marked resolved but is more than five years past the end of the noncompliance period, so it no longer counts toward current compliance status. Resolved means at least one resolving action is on record: the system returned to compliance, the rule no longer applies, or no further action was needed.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Single Sample · code 01 | Nitratecode 1040 | Yes | Archived |
| 2026-02-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Single Sample · code 01 | Nitratecode 1040 | Yes | Archived |
| 2025-12-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Single Sample · code 01 | Nitratecode 1040 | Yes | Archived |
| 2025-10-20 | Monitoring and reportingLead Consumer Notice · code 66 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2025-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Single Sample · code 01 | Nitratecode 1040 | Yes | Archived |
| 2025-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalatecode 2039 | No | Archived |
| 2025-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Archived |
| 2025-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Archived |
| 2025-05-01 | Monitoring and reportingWater Quality Parameter M/R · code 53 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2024-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2024-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Resolved |
| 2023-11-19 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherPublic Notification Violation for NPDWR Violation · code 75 | Public Noticecode 7500 | No | Resolved |
The 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, newest first.Labels and codes come from EPA's SDWIS reference tables. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found. "Health-based" marks violations of a legal limit or required treatment.
Dawson Water Works: frequently asked questions
Who runs Dawson Water Works?
Dawson Water Works (PWSID IA2525010) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the IA state drinking water program.
How many people does Dawson Water Works serve?
Dawson Water Works reports serving 116 people through 81 service connections in Dallas County, Iowa.
Where does Dawson Water Works get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as groundwater. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers.
Does Dawson Water Works have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 4 are health-based, and the most recent began in March 2026. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found.
Is Dawson Water Works' water safe to drink?
AquaCensus shows EPA compliance records, not current water test results, so it cannot say whether the water is safe at a given moment. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 4 are health-based, and the most recent began in March 2026. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the IA state drinking water program.
Where can I find Dawson Water Works' water quality report?
As a community water system, Dawson Water Works must deliver an annual water quality report, called a Consumer Confidence Report, to its customers by July 1 each year, covering the previous calendar year. The system can provide a copy on request.
Other water systems in Dallas County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Des Moines Water Works | Dallas + 1 more | 73,959 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Waukee Water Supply | Dallas | 31,823 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Xenia Rwd (Des Moines) | Dallas | 12,860 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Perry Municipal Water Works | Dallas | 7,836 | Community | Groundwater |
| Adel Municipal Water Works | Dallas | 6,461 | Community | Groundwater |
| Xenia Rwd (Woodward) | Dallas | 3,465 | Community | Purchased surface water |
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About this data
Source: U.S. EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and SDWA violation records, via EPA ECHO, as published October 1, 2026 — AquaCensus refreshes it quarterly. See the methodology for how records are matched, cleaned and scored.
Cite as: AquaCensus, “Dawson Water Works, PWSID IA2525010, Iowa”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/iowa/dawson-water-works-ia2525010 (data as of October 1, 2026).