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Council Bluffs, IA Tap Water Quality 2026

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

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

Main Utility: Council Bluffs Water Works PWSID: IA7820080 Updated: 2026 Q2
✅

No federal limits exceeded on record

Lead is 2.00 ppb, 13% of the action level and no violations are open. No PFAS was detected.

A

Council Bluffs earns an A for water quality

Graded on violations, lead, and PFAS, with state inspection findings.

Lead: 2.00 ppb — 13% of the federal action level
PFAS tested, none detected
1 violations since 2015, 0 health-based
No violations currently open
Council Bluffs's lead level vs. all Iowa community water systems
0 ppb5 ppb10 ppb15 ppb
Lead level: 2.00 ppb — 13% of the federal action level
✓ Lower lead than 57% of Iowa utilities
Population Served
60781
~22374 connections
Water Source
Surface water
Drawn from surface water — SDWIS source code SW
Active Violations
0
1 since 2015, all resolved

Lead & Copper Testing

Lead (Pb)
90th percentile of tap samples collected across the distribution system
13% of EPA action level
2.00 ppb
Action level: 15 ppb
The 90th-percentile lead result is 2.00 ppb, 13% 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.

Contaminant Violations (2015–Present)

ContaminantTypeMeasuredLimitPeriodStatus
Nitrate MONITORING AND REPORTING — 10 mg/L 2017 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 Council Bluffs Water Works
PWSID IA7820080
Water source Surface water — Drawn from surface water — SDWIS source code SW
Population served 60,781
Service connections 22,374
Systems serving this area 1
Regulator State primacy agency
Data through 2026 Q2 — EPA SDWIS

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Council Bluffs tap water safe to drink? ▼
No federal limit is exceeded on record. No violations are currently open. Lead is 2.00 ppb, 13% of the action level.
Does Council Bluffs water have PFAS? ▼
It was tested for the six regulated PFAS compounds and none were detected.
Who supplies water to Council Bluffs? ▼
Council Bluffs Water Works (PWSID IA7820080). Surface water. Drawn from surface water — SDWIS source code SW
When was this system last inspected? ▼
It was last inspected on 2024-05-01. No significant deficiencies were recorded.

What Should Council Bluffs Residents Do?

1
Read your annual water report
Your supplier publishes a Consumer Confidence Report each July covering the prior year.
2
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.
3
Flush before drinking
If water has sat in pipes more than six hours, run the cold tap for two minutes before drinking or cooking.

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