What was found in Burlington's water
The level at the city's main supplier, the highest level anywhere in the city, the EPA limit for each, and where every figure comes from.
| Contaminant | Level vs EPA limit | Suppliers | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate | 5415 µg/L 54% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: BURLINGTON MUNICIPAL WATERWORKS · 26,015 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 695 µg/L 17% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: BURLINGTON MUNICIPAL WATERWORKS · 26,015 people · 2018 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 21.85 µg/L 1.1% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: BURLINGTON MUNICIPAL WATERWORKS · 26,015 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 180 µg/L — GREEN ACRES MOBILE HOME PARK · 190 people · 2014 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 26.625 µg/L 2% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: BURLINGTON MUNICIPAL WATERWORKS · 26,015 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 102 µg/L — GREEN ACRES MOBILE HOME PARK · 190 people · 2017 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 94.555 µg/L 118% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 80 µg/L Main supplier: BURLINGTON MUNICIPAL WATERWORKS · 26,015 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 87.31 µg/L 582% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 15 µg/L Main supplier: BURLINGTON MUNICIPAL WATERWORKS · 26,015 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 82.195 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BURLINGTON MUNICIPAL WATERWORKS · 26,015 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 40.865 µg/L 68% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: BURLINGTON MUNICIPAL WATERWORKS · 26,015 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 28.365 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BURLINGTON MUNICIPAL WATERWORKS · 26,015 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 29.6 µg/L — RATHBUN REG WTR ASSN (BURLINGTON) · 8,375 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 25.67 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BURLINGTON MUNICIPAL WATERWORKS · 26,015 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 14.065 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BURLINGTON MUNICIPAL WATERWORKS · 26,015 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Lithium | 14 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BURLINGTON MUNICIPAL WATERWORKS · 26,015 people · 2025 | 2/3 | UCMR-5 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 11.86 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BURLINGTON MUNICIPAL WATERWORKS · 26,015 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 9.9985 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BURLINGTON MUNICIPAL WATERWORKS · 26,015 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 3.44 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BURLINGTON MUNICIPAL WATERWORKS · 26,015 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 3.8 µg/L — RATHBUN REG WTR ASSN (BURLINGTON) · 8,375 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Toluene | 1.829 µg/L 0.2% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Main supplier: BURLINGTON MUNICIPAL WATERWORKS · 26,015 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 1.672 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BURLINGTON MUNICIPAL WATERWORKS · 26,015 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate | 1.2 µg/L 20% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L Highest in the city: GREEN ACRES MOBILE HOME PARK · 190 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 0.6970 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BURLINGTON MUNICIPAL WATERWORKS · 26,015 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 0.8950 µg/L — RATHBUN REG WTR ASSN (BURLINGTON) · 8,375 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Atrazine | 0.1700 µg/L 5.7% of the EPA limit 3 µg/L Main supplier: BURLINGTON MUNICIPAL WATERWORKS · 26,015 people · 2018 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Pfba | 0.0180 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BURLINGTON MUNICIPAL WATERWORKS · 26,015 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 0.0320 µg/L — RATHBUN REG WTR ASSN (BURLINGTON) · 8,375 people · 2025 | 2/3 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfpea | 0.0062 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BURLINGTON MUNICIPAL WATERWORKS · 26,015 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 0.0130 µg/L — RATHBUN REG WTR ASSN (BURLINGTON) · 8,375 people · 2025 | 2/3 | UCMR-5 |
| PFBS | 0.0062 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: BURLINGTON MUNICIPAL WATERWORKS · 26,015 people · 2025 | 1/3 | UCMR-5 |
| Lead | 0.0010 mg/L 6.7% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: BURLINGTON MUNICIPAL WATERWORKS · 26,015 people · 2025 | 3/3 | LCR |
Each bar shows the measured level as a share of the EPA limit: green is
well under, amber is close to it, red is over. For lead and copper the
limit applies to exactly the 90th-percentile figure shown, so red there
means a real exceedance. For everything else the limit applies to a
running annual average while the figure is the 95th percentile of the
system's samples — over 100% is worth reading, but is not by itself a
violation.
Formal violations are listed separately.
These are the utilities' own EPA-reported results, not a city-wide
average. A detection means the lab measured the
substance — it isn't the same as exceeding a legal limit. Hover a source
tag to see the EPA program and years behind each figure.
Water suppliers serving Burlington
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| BURLINGTON MUNICIPAL WATERWORKS | 26,015 |
| RATHBUN REG WTR ASSN (BURLINGTON) | 8,375 |
| GREEN ACRES MOBILE HOME PARK | 190 |
Frequently asked questions about Burlington tap water
Is Burlington tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 24 contaminants in the water serving Burlington. A detection isn't the same as a violation — most detected levels are within federal limits. Check the level and source for each contaminant above, and your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for the official compliance status.
How many water suppliers serve Burlington?
3 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Burlington, Iowa to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Burlington's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Burlington include Nitrate, Fluoride, Barium, Copper, TTHM. The full list, with the level at the main supplier and the data source, is in the table above.
Where does this data come from?
Every figure is official EPA drinking-water monitoring — the Lead & Copper Rule, the UCMR-5 nationwide testing program, and the EPA Six-Year Review — not our own testing. Each number is labelled with its source and period.