DOW CITY WATER WORKS
PWS ID: IA2427049 · DOW CITY, Iowa 51528
DOW CITY WATER WORKS serves 467 people in DOW CITY, Iowa using Groundwater water sources. It has 79 recorded EPA violations, including 11 health-based violations. No PFAS contamination was detected in UCMR5 testing.
Water Quality Snapshot: DOW CITY WATER WORKS
DOW CITY WATER WORKS is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 467 residents in DOW CITY, Iowa (Crawford County) through 255 service connections. Its water is drawn from groundwater sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 79 total violations for this system , of which 11 (14%) are health-based — meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 53 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2020.
The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Nitrate, recorded in 17 violations (MR). This system has not yet been sampled under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program, so no PFAS detection data is available here.
Across Iowa, EPA tracks 1,795 public water systems serving 3,114,444 people, with 138,271 cumulative violations and 27,946 health-based violations on record. About 95% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 77 violations. DOW CITY WATER WORKS's 79 violations sit above the Iowa average. Statewide, 127 of 152 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (83.6%). All figures above are sourced directly from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 public data releases and are updated as EPA publishes new reporting cycles.
System Details
- System Type
- Community
- Owner Type
- Local
- Connections
- 255
- County
- Crawford
- School/Daycare
- No
- MCL Violations
- 11
- Monitoring Violations
- 53
- Treatment Tech Violations
- 0
Violation History
Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.
| Contaminant | Category | Count | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate | MR | 17 | 2020 |
| Coliform (TCR) | MR | 10 | 2004 |
| Nitrate | MCL | 9 | 2016 |
| Nitrite | MR | 5 | 1994 |
| Antimony, Total | MR | 5 | 1992 |
| 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene | MR | 4 | 1995 |
| BHC-GAMMA | MR | 4 | 1995 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | MON | 4 | 2019 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon and U | MR | 4 | 1991 |
| Selenium | MCL | 2 | 1979 |
Verify This Water System
The figures above are aggregated from EPA's public databases. To verify the underlying records — or to file a complaint, request a Consumer Confidence Report, or check current monitoring status — go directly to the federal and state regulators that enforce the Safe Drinking Water Act for DOW CITY WATER WORKS.
EPA SDWIS — Federal Reports
EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) holds the federal compliance record for every regulated public water system. Open the system-level report by PWS ID:
View PWS ID IA2427049 on SDWISSource: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search
Iowa Drinking Water Authority
Iowa's primacy agency administers the Safe Drinking Water Act locally. Search EPA SDWIS for the current state contact, or use the state's public health or environment department portal.
Find IA regulator via EPA SDWISViolation Timeline
Each row links to the EPA SDWIS public record for verification. Cross-reference the contaminant code on EPA's federal report to see violation dates, return-to-compliance status, and enforcement actions.
| Year (latest) | Contaminant | Category | Count | EPA Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Nitrate | MR | 17 | SDWIS / IA2427049 / 1040 |
| 2019 | Revised Total Coliform Rule | MON | 4 | SDWIS / IA2427049 / 8000 |
| 2016 | Nitrate | MCL | 9 | SDWIS / IA2427049 / 1040 |
| 2004 | Coliform (TCR) | MR | 10 | SDWIS / IA2427049 / 3100 |
| 1995 | 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene | MR | 4 | SDWIS / IA2427049 / 2378 |
| 1995 | BHC-GAMMA | MR | 4 | SDWIS / IA2427049 / 2010 |
| 1994 | Nitrite | MR | 5 | SDWIS / IA2427049 / 1041 |
| 1992 | Antimony, Total | MR | 5 | SDWIS / IA2427049 / 1074 |
| 1991 | Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon and U | MR | 4 | SDWIS / IA2427049 / 4000 |
| 1979 | Selenium | MCL | 2 | SDWIS / IA2427049 / 1045 |
How DOW CITY WATER WORKS Compares
Cross-reference this system's record against state averages and the federal MCL framework for context.
| Metric | DOW CITY WATER WORKS | Iowa avg | Federal benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total violations | 79 | 77 | SDWA compliance — any non-zero count is a recorded breach |
| Health-based violations | 11 | 15.6 | Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL |
| PFAS detection | None | 83.6% | EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt |
| Population served | 467 | 1,735 | Sizing context for compliance burden |
Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 1,795 regulated public water systems in Iowa.
Federal MCL reference — Safe Drinking Water Act thresholds ▼
| Contaminant | Federal MCL / Action Level | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Lead | 0 mg/L (Action Level: 0.015 mg/L) | Lead and Copper Rule treatment technique |
| Arsenic | 0.010 mg/L (10 ppb) | Health-based MCL since 2006 |
| Total Coliform | Treatment technique (RTCR) | Indicator organism, monitoring trigger |
| PFOA / PFOS (PFAS) | 4.0 ppt each (final 2024 rule) | Compliance deadline 2029 |
| Nitrate (as N) | 10 mg/L | Acute health risk for infants |
Frequently Asked Questions
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Related Data for Iowa
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.