Des Moines
Des Moines, IA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
des moines water works
surface water (rivers/reservoirs) · local government · PWSID IA7727031
Below EPA's 15 ppb lead action level at last testing.
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1
With about 210,330 residents, Des Moines ranks as the largest city in Iowa and a mid-sized city. Water in Des Moines is sourced chiefly from Mississippi & Missouri rivers, Jordan aquifer, and alluvial aquifers, the backbone of Iowa's supply.
The defining water pressure here mirrors the state's: agricultural demand. Nutrient runoff and nitrate contamination from agriculture are the defining water-quality challenges.
Statewide, Iowa recycles about 4% of its wastewater with minimal reuse programs. Locally, Des Moines faces no meaningful drought conditions.
The Iowa state profile covers the regional supply outlook; the issues below detail what's driving Des Moines's water future.
Polk County water quality
Source: EPA SDWIS · 2026 Q1
At a glance
- Population ~210,330 (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 Des Moines?
Des Moines's largest water system, DES MOINES WATER WORKS, serves about 246,055 people. EPA records show 1 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 Des Moines get its water?
DES MOINES WATER WORKS 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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