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EPA SDWIS

Des Moines County Water Quality

Des Moines County, Iowa

Water Grade

B

Water Score

66.0

Violations

1

State Rank

#76

of 99 (1 = best)

EPA SDWIS Compliance

Drinking Water Quality

Water Quality Grade

B

Based on EPA compliance history and violation data

Water Score

66/100

Higher = better quality

Health Violations

1

Health-based violations

Violation Rate

3.0%

Systems with violations

Water Advisory: Des Moines County

Water Verdict

Des Moines County receives a fair water quality assessment with a grade of B and a score of 66.0 out of 100. The water supply meets baseline federal standards, but there may be periods of elevated contaminant levels or infrastructure concerns worth monitoring.

Violation Context

Des Moines County has recorded 1 health-based violation, meaning the water system experienced at least one exceedance of federal contaminant limits or treatment requirements. At 3.0 violations per 1,000 residents, this rate is moderate and suggests recurring water quality challenges.

Consumer Guidance

Tap water in Des Moines County is generally safe to drink based on available data. Residents should still review their utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for transparency on detected contaminants. With 1 recorded health violation, staying informed about utility communications and boil-water notices is especially important. For long-term peace of mind, request your utility's latest Consumer Confidence Report and consider independent water testing if you have specific health concerns.

Regional Context

Des Moines County has poorer water quality than the average county in Iowa. Its water score is 5.7 points lower than the state average, suggesting more challenges with contamination control or infrastructure than neighboring counties.

Past 5 years

Water Quality Monitoring

Monitoring Sites

4

Active in the past 5 years

Measurements Recorded

7.9K

7,858 total readings

Most Measured

  • Physical
  • Nutrient
  • Sediment

Categories measured most frequently

Data from the EPA Water Quality Portal (WQP), aggregating monitoring records from federal, state, and tribal sources. Each measurement represents a single sample analyzed for a specific characteristic (e.g., E. coli, pH, dissolved oxygen, nitrogen).

Live USGS Streamgage

River & Stream Conditions

Current Discharge

2,160cfs

May 14, 6:45 PM UTC

vs Long-Term Average

78%

Below typical

Primary Streamgage

Skunk River at Augusta, IA

USGS site
05474000
Drainage area
4,312 sq mi
Long-term mean
2,784 cfs

One representative streamgage (the one with the largest drainage area in the county). Many counties have multiple gauges — this view summarizes the primary one. The long-term mean is the full-record annual average; "% of typical" compares the latest reading against that average.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the water quality in Des Moines County, Iowa?
Des Moines County, Iowa has a drinking-water quality grade of B with a score of 66.0/100, based on EPA SDWIS compliance data. The county has 1 health-based drinking water violation over the past 5 years. Watershed health, monitoring records, and live streamflow are reported separately on this page.
Are there any water violations in Des Moines County?
Des Moines County has 1 health-based drinking water violation recorded by the EPA over the past 5 years. Health-based violations indicate instances where contaminant levels exceeded EPA Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs). Violations may have been resolved — check with your local water utility for current status.
How much water-quality monitoring happens in Des Moines County?
EPA's Water Quality Portal records 7,858 measurements from 4 monitoring sites in Des Moines County over the past five years. The most frequently measured characteristic groups are Physical, Nutrient, Sediment. Each measurement is a single sample analyzed for one characteristic (E. coli, pH, dissolved oxygen, etc.). High monitoring density means more scientific evidence behind any reported signal — it does not by itself indicate water quality.
What's happening with rivers in Des Moines County right now?
Des Moines County's primary USGS streamgage on the Skunk River is currently reading 2,160 cubic feet per second — 78% of the long-term mean of 2,783.86 cfs. Flow is within typical range for this gauge. For genuine real-time data, visit waterdata.usgs.gov.
How does Des Moines County water compare to the Iowa average?
Des Moines County's SDWIS water quality score of 66.0/100 is lower than the Iowa state average of 71.7. The average water quality grade across Iowa is C, based on data from 99 counties with available SDWIS data.
Is tap water safe to drink in Des Moines County?
Based on EPA SDWIS data, Des Moines County has a water quality grade of B (66.0/100). This indicates good to excellent water quality with strong SDWIS compliance. The grade speaks to the public water system, not the watershed — for watershed-level concerns, see the Watershed Health zone. For the most up-to-date information, contact your local water utility or review your Consumer Confidence Report (CCR).
Does Des Moines County have clean drinking water?
Des Moines County has 1 health-based drinking water violation according to EPA records. With a water quality score of 66.0/100 and grade B, the county's drinking water has had some compliance issues but continues to be monitored. Note: drinking-water compliance speaks to the public water system, not necessarily to the watershed itself — check the Watershed Health zone for ATTAINS §303(d) data.
How does Des Moines County rank for water quality in Iowa?
Des Moines County ranks #76 out of 99 counties in Iowa by SDWIS water quality score (1 = best). With a score of 66.0/100, it falls in the bottom third of counties statewide. The ranking reflects EPA SDWIS compliance only — not watershed impairment, monitoring density, or streamflow, which are tracked separately on this page.

Counties with Similar Water Quality

Story County

Iowa

B

66.8

Water score

Dubuque County

Iowa

B

67.1

Water score

Woodbury County

Iowa

B

67.8

Water score

Data Sources

Drinking-water compliance data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) via the ECHO enforcement database. Scores reflect compliance history and health-based violation counts.

Water-quality monitoring counts from the EPA Water Quality Portal (WQP) — federated USGS, EPA, and state agency sampling records over a rolling 5-year window.

Live streamflow from the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) — continuous discharge measurements from the largest-drainage gauge in each county, compared against the full-record long-term annual mean.

Disclaimer: This data is informational only. It is not health, legal, or professional advice. For concerns about your specific water supply, contact your local water utility.

By Logan Johnson, Founder & Data EditorUpdated Reviewed by Logan Johnson, Founder & Data Editor

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