Iowa City
Iowa City, IA water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
iowa city water department
surface water (rivers/reservoirs) · local government · PWSID IA5225079
Below EPA's 15 ppb lead action level at last testing.
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1
With about 74,220 residents, Iowa City ranks as the 5th-largest city in Iowa and a small but growing city. Water in Iowa City 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, Iowa City faces no meaningful drought conditions.
The Iowa state profile covers the regional supply outlook; the issues below detail what's driving Iowa City's water future.
Johnson County water quality
Source: EPA SDWIS · 2026 Q1
At a glance
- Population ~74,220 (5th-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 Iowa City?
Iowa City's largest water system, IOWA CITY WATER DEPARTMENT, serves about 68,753 people. EPA records show 0 health-based violation(s) since 2016 and a most-recent 90th-percentile lead level of 4 ppb (EPA action level is 15 ppb). Always check your own provider's annual Consumer Confidence Report.
Where does Iowa City get its water?
IOWA CITY WATER DEPARTMENT 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.
Explore