INDEPENDENCE WATER DEPT vs DES MOINES WATER WORKS
Water quality comparison — risk levels, violations, PFAS records, and contaminants
Quick Answer
Both utilities share the same risk level (safe). INDEPENDENCE WATER DEPT has 0 open health-based violations and 232 PFAS records. DES MOINES WATER WORKS has 0 open health-based violations and 348 PFAS records.
Iowa · IA1037070
No Concerns Detected
Water meets all safety standards with no detected exceedances.
0
Open violations
232
PFAS records
Iowa · IA7727031
No Concerns Detected
Water meets all safety standards with no detected exceedances.
0
Open violations
348
PFAS records
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Metric | INDEPENDENCE WATER DEPT | DES MOINES WATER WORKS |
|---|---|---|
| State | Iowa | Iowa |
| Risk Level | No Concerns Detected | No Concerns Detected |
| Population Served | 6,064 | 246,055 |
| Open Health Violations | 0 | 0 |
| Total Violations | 0 | 3 |
| PFAS Records | 232 | 348 |
| Ownership | Local | Local |
| Service Type | Groundwater | Surface water |
| City Served | Independence | — |
Key Differences
INDEPENDENCE WATER DEPT has 232 PFAS records vs. 348 for DES MOINES WATER WORKS.
What Should I Do?
If either utility shows open violations or elevated PFAS records, consider:
- Installing a reverse osmosis filter — removes PFAS, lead, arsenic, nitrates, and most heavy metals.
- Requesting your utility’s annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) for the most current test results.
- Ordering a certified lab water test if you want contaminant-specific data for your address.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is safer — INDEPENDENCE WATER DEPT or DES MOINES WATER WORKS?
Both utilities share the same risk level (safe). Both utilities have similar violation profiles — review the full data above to decide based on specific contaminants that concern you.
What does "open health-based violation" mean?
An open health-based violation means a water system has exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) or failed to meet a treatment technique — and the violation has not yet been resolved. These are the most serious type of water quality violations.
How current is this data?
Violation data comes from EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), which is updated as utilities report. PFAS data comes from EPA's UCMR 5 monitoring (2023–2025). Risk levels are recalculated daily.
What does PWSID mean?
PWSID stands for Public Water System ID — a unique federal identifier assigned to each community water system. You can use it to look up a system in EPA's ECHO database.