Essex, IA Tap Water Quality 2026

Water quality report for Essex, IA — PFAS, lead and copper results, violation history and state inspection findings from EPA SDWIS.

A look at Essex's drinking water using EPA enforcement records: violations, lead and copper results, PFAS sampling and state inspection findings.

Main Utility: Essex Water Supply PWSID: IA7349023 Updated: 2026 Q2

✅

No federal limits exceeded on record

Lead is 1.30 ppb, 9% of the action level and no violations are open. PFAS has never been sampled at this system.

Essex earns a B for water quality

Graded on violations and lead, with state inspection findings. PFAS not tested.

Lead: 1.30 ppb — 9% of the federal action level

PFAS never sampled at this system

1 violations since 2015, 0 health-based

No violations currently open

Essex's lead level vs. all Iowa community water systems

0 ppb5 ppb10 ppb15 ppb

Lead level: 1.30 ppb — 9% of the federal action level

✓ Lower lead than 76% of Iowa utilities

Population Served

708

~350 connections

Water Source

Groundwater

Drawn from wells — SDWIS source code GW

Active Violations

1 since 2015, all resolved

Lead & Copper Testing

Lead (Pb)

90th percentile of tap samples collected across the distribution system

9% of EPA action level

1.30 ppb

Action level: 15 ppb

Copper (Cu)

90th percentile of tap samples. SDWIS reports a copper figure only when a system exceeds the action level, so any value here is an exceedance.

223.1% of EPA action level

2,900 ppb

Action level: 1,300 ppb

The 90th-percentile lead result is 1.30 ppb, 9% of the 15 ppb federal action level. The action level is a treatment trigger, not a legal maximum, and it is measured across sampled taps rather than at any single home. Copper reached the action level here; a copper figure appears in SDWIS only when a system triggers it.

Contaminant Violations (2015–Present)

Contaminant	Type	Measured	Limit	Period	Status
Revised Total Coliform Rule	MONITORING FAILURE	—	—	2019	Resolved

Understanding violation types MCL violations mean a contaminant exceeded the federal maximum limit — the most serious type.
TT (Treatment Technique) violations mean required treatment procedures weren't followed, but don't necessarily mean contamination occurred.

Violation History

1 violations are on record since 2015, of which 0 were health-based. All have been resolved and none remain open.

About the Main Water System

Utility Essex Water Supply

PWSID IA7349023

Water source Groundwater — Drawn from wells — SDWIS source code GW

Population served 708

Service connections 350

Systems serving this area 1

Regulator State primacy agency

Data through 2026 Q2 — EPA SDWIS

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Essex tap water safe to drink? ▼

No federal limit is exceeded on record. No violations are currently open. Lead is 1.30 ppb, 9% of the action level.

Does Essex water have PFAS? ▼

This system has never been sampled for PFAS. EPA's national monitoring covered systems serving 3,300 people or more, so no results exist — which is not evidence that none is present.

Who supplies water to Essex? ▼

Essex Water Supply (PWSID IA7349023). Groundwater. Drawn from wells — SDWIS source code GW

When was this system last inspected? ▼

It was last inspected on 2026-03-11. No significant deficiencies were recorded.

What Should Essex Residents Do?

Read your annual water report

Your supplier publishes a Consumer Confidence Report each July covering the prior year.

Check for a lead service line

Lead reaches tap water mainly through service lines and household plumbing. Suppliers now publish an inventory identifying lead lines.

Flush before drinking

If water has sat in pipes more than six hours, run the cold tap for two minutes before drinking or cooking.

Nearby Cities in Iowa

Clarinda, Ia Tap Water Quality 2026 Page Shenandoah, Ia Tap Water Quality 2026 Page Shambaugh, Ia Tap Water Quality 2026 Page Braddyville, Ia Tap Water Quality 2026 Page Coin, Ia Tap Water Quality 2026 Page Yorktown, Ia Tap Water Quality 2026 Page