Des Moines County, Iowa — public water systems
At a glance
11 active public water systems are filed under Des Moines County, Iowa in EPA's SDWIS records, together reporting 43,192 people served. The largest is Burlington Municipal Waterworks, which reports serving 26,015 people. 9 are community water systems serving people where they live; the other 2 are non-community systems, such as schools, workplaces, campgrounds and gas stations with their own supply.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO, refreshed quarterly.
Active systems
11
Population served
43.2K
Community systems
9
Groundwater share
27.3%
How does Des Moines County compare with other Iowa counties?
Des Moines County has the 64th-most active public water systems among the 114 counties listed for active Iowa systems in EPA records; among the 96 with 3 or more systems, the median has 14. Its systems report 43,192 people served in total, the 13th-largest county figure in the state and 1.4% of the statewide total. The average system here reports serving 3,927 people, about 129% above the Iowa average of 1,718. Population figures are what each system reports; people served by more than one system, such as a wholesaler and the town that buys from it, are counted by each.
Where does Des Moines County's drinking water come from?
By primary water source, Des Moines County's active systems draw on purchased surface water (7, 64%), groundwater (3, 27%) and surface water (1, 9.1%). Overall, 27% rely mainly on groundwater (including purchased groundwater) and 73% on surface water, compared with 92% and 7.8% across Iowa. Purchased surface water means the system buys surface water from another public water system rather than drawing its own. The county's largest system, Burlington Municipal Waterworks, draws primarily on surface water.
What kinds of water systems operate in Des Moines County?
Des Moines County's active systems break down as 9 community systems (82%), 1 non-transient non-community systems (9.1%) and 1 transient non-community systems (9.1%). 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. A non-transient non-community water system regularly serves at least 25 of the same people for more than six months a year, but not where they live. Schools, factories, office buildings and hospitals with their own supply are typical examples. A transient non-community water system serves places where people do not stay long, such as gas stations and campgrounds, and regularly serves at least 25 people a day for at least 60 days a year. EPA lists their owner types as private (45%), local government (45%) and federal government (9.1%).
Water systems in Des Moines County
🔒 Create a free account to export CSV| # | Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burlington Municipal Waterworks | Des Moines | 26,015 | Community | Surface water |
| 2 | Rathbun Reg Wtr Assn (Burlington) | Des Moines + 1 more | 8,375 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| 3 | West Burlington Muni. Water Supply | Des Moines | 3,728 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| 4 | Mediapolis Water Supply | Des Moines | 1,688 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| 5 | Iowa Army Ammunition Plant | Des Moines | 1,100 | Non-transient non-community | Purchased surface water |
| 6 | Danville Water Supply | Des Moines | 923 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| 7 | Timberline Estates, Ltd. | Des Moines | 712 | Community | Groundwater |
| 8 | Middletown Water Supply | Des Moines | 336 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| 9 | Green Acres Mobile Home Park | Des Moines | 190 | Community | Groundwater |
| 10 | Mediapolis Village Court | Des Moines | 100 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| 11 | Spring Lake Campground | Des Moines | 25 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
Des Moines County water systems: frequently asked questions
How many public water systems are in Des Moines County, Iowa?
EPA's SDWIS records file 11 active public water systems under Des Moines County, Iowa: 9 community systems (82%), 1 non-transient non-community systems (9.1%) and 1 transient non-community systems (9.1%).
Who supplies drinking water in Des Moines County, IA?
The largest community water systems filed under Des Moines County are Burlington Municipal Waterworks (26,015 people served), Rathbun Reg Wtr Assn (Burlington) (8,375 people served) and West Burlington Muni. Water Supply (3,728 people served). Which system serves a particular address depends on its service area, which EPA's SDWIS records do not include; a water bill or the local utility can confirm it.
Does Des Moines County's drinking water come from groundwater or surface water?
Of the 11 active public water systems in Des Moines County, 27% draw mainly on groundwater and 73% on surface water, counting purchased supplies. The largest system, Burlington Municipal Waterworks, uses surface water.
Where can I find a water quality report for Des Moines County?
Each community water system must deliver an annual water quality report, called a Consumer Confidence Report, to its customers by July 1, covering the previous calendar year. 9 community systems are filed under Des Moines County, so the report to look for is the one from the system that supplies your address.
How can I check violations for a water system in Des Moines County?
Open the system's profile from the list on this page. Each profile shows the most recent Safe Drinking Water Act violations in EPA's records, with plain-English labels and whether each one is resolved. For current compliance status, EPA ECHO is the primary source.
More Iowa water systems
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, “Public water systems in Des Moines County, Iowa”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/iowa/des-moines (data as of October 1, 2026).