Ankeny
Ankeny, IA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
ankeny, city of
surface water (rivers/reservoirs) · local government · PWSID IA7709053
Below EPA's 15 ppb lead action level at last testing.
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1
Ankeny, IA is a small but growing city, with a population near 56,764 and the 11th-largest community in Iowa. Like much of Iowa, Ankeny draws its water primarily from Mississippi & Missouri rivers, Jordan aquifer, and alluvial aquifers.
Ankeny's water outlook is shaped most by agricultural demand — the issue that dominates planning across Iowa. Nutrient runoff and nitrate contamination from agriculture are the defining water-quality challenges.
Ankeny sits in a state that reuses roughly 4% of treated wastewater (minimal programs) and currently experiences no meaningful drought.
For the bigger picture, see the Iowa state water profile and the related issues below.
Polk County water quality
Source: EPA SDWIS · 2026 Q1
At a glance
- Population ~56,764 (11th-largest in Iowa)
- Primary sources: Mississippi & Missouri rivers, Jordan aquifer, and alluvial aquifers
- Drought: no meaningful conditions
- State reuse rate: ~4% of wastewater
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Ankeny?
Ankeny's largest water system, ANKENY, CITY OF, serves about 76,207 people. EPA records show 0 health-based violation(s) since 2016 and a most-recent 90th-percentile lead level of 0 ppb (EPA action level is 15 ppb). Always check your own provider's annual Consumer Confidence Report.
Where does Ankeny get its water?
ANKENY, CITY OF draws primarily from surface water (rivers/reservoirs), part of Iowa's supply from Mississippi & Missouri rivers, Jordan aquifer, alluvial aquifers.
Related water issues
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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