Lead (Pb) Information

The Iowa DNR is responsible for implementing the Safe Drinking Water Act in Iowa.  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has requested that information related to each state’s public water supply systems and the implementation of the federal Lead and Copper Rule be available on the state agency’s website.  Listed below are documents with information pertaining to their request.

EPA’s Request Letter of February 29, 2016 and the attachment (Clarification of Sampling Procedures)

IDNR’s Response Letter of March 28, 2016

Latest Lead Results from Iowa’s 11 Large Systems (those serving at least 50,000 persons), which is sorted alphabetically by system name, followed by the analytical lead result from highest to lowest value.

Several of the systems have information posted on their websites related to the location of lead service lines, results of lead testing, and other information.  In addition, the annual Consumer Confidence Report that is required of every community public water supply system is published by July 1st each year.  That report contains specific information regarding the lead levels from the most recent testing by the system, the 90th percentile action level, and an informational paragraph on how a person can avoid lead exposure.  If you have specific concerns, contact your public water system.

The Iowa Public Drinking Water Program Annual Compliance Reports are available by calendar year.  The lead and copper action level requirements are described in the report, along with all action level exceedances and all major monitoring violations that were incurred during that year.

The Lead and Copper Sampling Plan template is available in the middle section on the Forms webpage.

The various Lead Consumer Notice templates are available in the bottom section on the Forms webpage.  


Schools and Child Daycares

There is a keen interest now about lead levels in drinking water, particularly in schools and child daycares.  This document describes the two separate federal programs for the testing of lead in drinking water, which have different purposes and requirements.

Additional information can be found on these websites: EPA’s Office of Groundwater and Drinking Water Website for Schools and Daycares and the Iowa Department of Health's Lead Poisoning Prevention Program Website.