Black Hawk County Water Quality: 2 Cities Ranked by the Records
Black Hawk County, Iowa: 2 city reports built from EPA and utility records. A county has many suppliers; each city shows the system that serves it.
Highest result for each contaminant
One row per contaminant: the highest result any system in the county reported, against its limit. Open a row for the systems behind it.
LithiumDetected in 2 systems10 µg/L EPA health reference level (screening, not a legal limit) · US EPAHighest20 µg/L
- WATERLOO WATER WORKS20 µg/LSample date: 2023-02-21 to 2024-09-23
- CEDAR FALLS MUNICIPAL WATER UTILITIES15.2 µg/LSample date: 2023-06-12 to 2023-12-06
Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS)Detected in 1 system of 2 tested10 ng/L federal MCL (2024) · US EPAHighest13 ng/L
- WATERLOO WATER WORKS13 ng/LSample date: 2023-02-21 to 2024-09-23
- CEDAR FALLS MUNICIPAL WATER UTILITIESNot detected · below 3.0 ng/L lab reporting limitSample date: 2023-06-12 to 2023-12-06
Lead (90th percentile)Detected in 2 systems15 µg/L federal action level · US EPAHighest1.8 µg/L
- WATERLOO WATER WORKS1.8 µg/LMonitoring period: 2025–2025
- CEDAR FALLS MUNICIPAL WATER UTILITIES1.4 µg/LMonitoring period: 2023–2025
Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS)Detected in 1 system of 2 tested2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory (screening, not a legal limit) · US EPAHighest3.2 ng/L
- WATERLOO WATER WORKS3.2 ng/LSample date: 2023-02-21 to 2024-09-23
- CEDAR FALLS MUNICIPAL WATER UTILITIESNot detected · below 3.0 ng/L lab reporting limitSample date: 2023-06-12 to 2023-12-06
Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA)Detected in 1 system of 2 tested400,000 ng/L Michigan EGLE state MCL (strictest US state) · Michigan EGLEHighest3.1 ng/L
- WATERLOO WATER WORKS3.1 ng/LSample date: 2023-02-21 to 2024-09-23
- CEDAR FALLS MUNICIPAL WATER UTILITIESNot detected · below 3.0 ng/L lab reporting limitSample date: 2023-06-12 to 2023-12-06
Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA)Detected in 1 system of 2 testedNo federal or state limit; shown for transparencyHighest4.8 ng/L
- WATERLOO WATER WORKS4.8 ng/LSample date: 2023-02-21 to 2024-09-23
- CEDAR FALLS MUNICIPAL WATER UTILITIESNot detected · below 3.0 ng/L lab reporting limitSample date: 2023-06-12 to 2023-12-06
25 PFAS tested, none detected in any systemShow
Tested in these 2 systems: CEDAR FALLS MUNICIPAL WATER UTILITIES, WATERLOO WATER WORKS
- 11-Chloroeicosafluoro-3-oxaundecane-1-sulfonic acid (11Cl-PF3OUdS)
- 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorodecane sulfonic acid (8:2 FTS)
- 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (4:2 FTS)
- 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (6:2 FTS)
- 4,8-Dioxa-3H-perfluorononanoic acid (ADONA)
- 9-Chlorohexadecafluoro-3-oxanone-1-sulfonic acid (9Cl-PF3ONS)
- Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA) (GenX chemicals)
- N-ethyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (NEtFOSAA)
- N-methyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (NMeFOSAA)
- Nonafluoro-3,6-dioxaheptanoic acid (NFDHA)
- Perfluoro (2-ethoxyethane) sulfonic acid (PFEESA)
- Perfluoro-3-methoxypropanoic acid (PFMPA)
- Perfluoro-4-methoxybutanoic acid (PFMBA)
- Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA)
- Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA)
- Perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA)
- Perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid (PFHpS)
- Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA)
- Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA)
- Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)
- Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)
- Perfluoropentanesulfonic acid (PFPeS)
- Perfluorotetradecanoic acid (PFTA)
- Perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA)
- Perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnA)
Cities ranked by the records
Ranked by the Purity Score of each city's main water system, highest first. Scores belong to water systems; there is no county score. The score is computed only from contaminants measured in the published EPA record, so this ranks the record, not which city's water is safest. How the score works.
0of 2 cities above the 15 µg/L action level
Based on each system's 90th-percentile result. Lead from household plumbing isn't in this record.
Lead in IowaLargest water systems
- WaterlooWATERLOO WATER WORKS · IA079007469,504 served
- Cedar FallsCEDAR FALLS MUNICIPAL WATER UTILITIES · IA070908440,713 served
Frequently asked
How does Black Hawk County tap water compare across cities?
PurityMap ranks 2 cities in Black Hawk County by the Purity Score of each city's main water system, computed only from contaminants measured in the published EPA record. Scores belong to water systems, not to cities. The highest published score is Cedar Falls's main water system: CEDAR FALLS MUNICIPAL WATER UTILITIES · PWSID IA0709084 · Purity Score 98 (Excellent) · Confidence: moderate · Assessed at the water-system level. The ranking compares the records, not which city's water is safest, and your own tap can differ with household plumbing.
How many Black Hawk County cities had a PFAS sample above a 2024 EPA limit?
1 of 2 Black Hawk County city reports had a PFAS sample above a 2024 EPA limit in EPA's UCMR 5 testing, including Waterloo (PFHxS 13 ng/L). That limit is judged on a yearly average, and water systems have until 2029 to meet it, so a single sample is not a violation. PFAS were detected at any level in 1.
Is there lead in Black Hawk County tap water?
Utilities report lead as a 90th-percentile result from home taps. 2 of 2 Black Hawk County cities reported a value above zero, and none was above the 15 µg/L federal action level. Lead usually comes from a building's own pipes and fixtures, so only a test at your tap tells you what you drink.
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