Iowa
Iowa sits in the Midwest and draws its water primarily from Mississippi & Missouri rivers, Jordan aquifer, and alluvial aquifers. With roughly 3.2 million residents, the state has minimal formal water reuse to date, reusing an estimated 4% of its treated wastewater.
Iowawater quality & safety
Top violation drivers in Iowa
| Contaminant / rule | Systems |
|---|---|
| Groundwater Rule | 15 |
| Nitrite | 14 |
| Nitrate | 12 |
| Combined Radium (-226 and -228) | 12 |
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | 11 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | 9 |
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1 · health-based violations since 2016
Nutrient runoff and nitrate contamination from agriculture are the defining water-quality challenges.
On the U.S. Drought Monitor scale, Iowa currently tracks around no drought conditions. Iowa has 1,078 community water systems serving about 3 million people; EPA records show 99 of them (9.2%) with a health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violation since 2016. The pages below break down the water issues that matter most here and the communities working on solutions.
Drought history — severe+ extent
% of Iowa in severe drought or worse (D2+) each late summer.
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor (NDMC/UNL, USDA, NOAA) · latest 2026-06-09
Water use (USGS 2015)
- Per-capita (public supply)
- 148 gpcd
- Total withdrawals
- 2.7 Bgal/d
- From groundwater
- 23.4%
- Irrigation share
- 1.3%
- Wastewater reused (est.)
- ~4%
Primary water sources
- ≈ Mississippi & Missouri rivers
- ≈ Jordan aquifer
- ≈ alluvial aquifers
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Iowa?
Iowa has 1,078 community water systems serving about 3 million people. EPA records show 99 of them (9.2%) with at least one health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violation since 2016, and 4 system(s) over the federal lead action level. Most large systems meet standards; check your specific city and your utility's annual report.
What contaminants are most common in Iowa's water?
The most frequent health-based violations involve Groundwater Rule, Nitrite, Nitrate.
How much water does Iowa use per person?
Public water systems in Iowa withdraw about 148 gallons per person per day (USGS 2015), drawing 23.4% of fresh water from groundwater.
How bad is the drought in Iowa?
As of 2026-06-09, 2.6% of Iowa is in drought (D1+) and 0% is in severe drought or worse, per the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Cities in Iowa
11 trackedDes Moines
Des Moines, IA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Cedar Rapids
Cedar Rapids, IA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Davenport
Davenport, IA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Sioux City
Sioux City, IA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Iowa City
Iowa City, IA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Waterloo
Waterloo, IA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Ames
Ames, IA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
West Des Moines
West Des Moines, IA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Council Bluffs
Council Bluffs, IA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Dubuque
Dubuque, IA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Ankeny
Ankeny, IA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Key issues in Iowa
Agricultural Demand
Agriculture accounts for the majority of consumptive water use in the West, making farm efficiency and water markets central to any supply solution.
ExploreAging Infrastructure
Much of America's water infrastructure is decades past its design life, leaking trillions of gallons a year and demanding hundreds of billions in reinvestment.
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