Public water system · IA7727031
ActiveDes Moines Water Works
At a glance
Des Moines Water Works (PWSID IA7727031) is an active community water system in Polk County, Iowa. It reports serving 246,055 people through 94,000 service connections. Its primary water source is purchased surface water, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 7 are health-based, and the most recent began in November 2018.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
246,055
Service connections
94,000
Primary source
SWP
Purchased surface water
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Des Moines Water Works compare with other water systems in Polk County?
By EPA's size categories, Des Moines Water Works is a very large system (more than 100,000 people). Polk County has 38 active public water systems, and Des Moines Water Works is the largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 19 times the county average of 12,857 people per system, and accounts for 50% of the 488,556 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 Des Moines Water Works is about 37 times 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. Purchased surface water means the system buys surface water from another public water system rather than drawing its own. 119 Iowa systems (6.5%) list purchased surface water as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Des Moines Water Works?
EPA lists Des Moines 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. 16 of the 38 active systems in Polk County (42%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Des Moines Water Works have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 7 are health-based, and the most recent began in November 2018. The violations listed here began between June 1982 and November 2018. By type: 5 monitoring and reporting, 5 contaminant level above the legal limit and 2 required treatment not met. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) (4 of them). EPA lists 8 as resolved and 4 as archived. 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. 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.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-11-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring of Treatment (SWTR-Filter) · code 36 | Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0800 | No | Archived |
| 2017-05-01 | Required treatment not metTreatment Technique (SWTR and GWR) · code 41 | Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0200 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2014-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2014-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2014-04-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2014-01-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2013-12-01 | Required treatment not metSingle Turbidity Exceed (Enhanced SWTR) · code 43 | Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rulecode 0300 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2009-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Cyanidecode 1024 | No | Archived |
| 1989-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Resolved |
| 1989-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Resolved |
| 1983-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Single Sample · code 01 | Nitratecode 1040 | Yes | Archived |
| 1982-06-25 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Mercurycode 1035 | No | Archived |
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.
Des Moines Water Works: frequently asked questions
Who runs Des Moines Water Works?
Des Moines Water Works (PWSID IA7727031) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the IA state drinking water program.
How many people does Des Moines Water Works serve?
Des Moines Water Works reports serving 246,055 people through 94,000 service connections in Polk County, Iowa.
Where does Des Moines Water Works get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as purchased surface water. Purchased surface water means the system buys surface water from another public water system rather than drawing its own.
Does Des Moines Water Works have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 7 are health-based, and the most recent began in November 2018. 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 Des Moines 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, 7 are health-based, and the most recent began in November 2018. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the IA state drinking water program.
Where can I find Des Moines Water Works' water quality report?
As a community water system, Des Moines 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 Polk County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ankeny, City of | Polk | 76,207 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Urbandale Water Utility | Polk | 45,605 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Johnston Municipal Water Supply | Polk | 24,897 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Clive Water Department | Polk | 20,277 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Altoona Water Supply | Polk | 19,565 | Community | Groundwater |
| Grimes Water Supply | Polk | 17,809 | Community | Groundwater |
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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, “Des Moines Water Works, PWSID IA7727031, Iowa”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/iowa/des-moines-water-works-ia7727031 (data as of October 1, 2026).