What was found in Council Bluffs'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 | 5900 µg/L 59% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: COUNCIL BLUFFS WATER WORKS · 64,447 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 659.5 µg/L 16% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: COUNCIL BLUFFS WATER WORKS · 64,447 people · 2015 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 60 µg/L 3% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: COUNCIL BLUFFS WATER WORKS · 64,447 people · 2015
Highest in the city: 550 µg/L — COUNTRY ESTATES MOBILE HOME PARK · 35 people · 2014 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Chlorite | 237 µg/L 24% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Main supplier: COUNCIL BLUFFS WATER WORKS · 64,447 people · 2017 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Lithium | 150 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: COUNCIL BLUFFS WATER WORKS · 64,447 people · 2024 | 2/3 | UCMR-5 |
| TTHM | 80.05 µg/L 100% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 80 µg/L Main supplier: COUNCIL BLUFFS WATER WORKS · 64,447 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 91.75 µg/L — URBAN BLUFFS - NORTH · 1,558 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 90.5 µg/L 7% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: COUNCIL BLUFFS WATER WORKS · 64,447 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 57 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: COUNCIL BLUFFS WATER WORKS · 64,447 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 66.65 µg/L — URBAN BLUFFS - NORTH · 1,558 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 28 µg/L 47% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: COUNCIL BLUFFS WATER WORKS · 64,447 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 39 µg/L — URBAN BLUFFS - NORTH · 1,558 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 20 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: COUNCIL BLUFFS WATER WORKS · 64,447 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 25.4 µg/L — URBAN BLUFFS - NORTH · 1,558 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 17 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: COUNCIL BLUFFS WATER WORKS · 64,447 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 19 µg/L — URBAN BLUFFS - NORTH · 1,558 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 8.555 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: COUNCIL BLUFFS WATER WORKS · 64,447 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 8.1 µg/L 54% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: COUNCIL BLUFFS WATER WORKS · 64,447 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 7 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: COUNCIL BLUFFS WATER WORKS · 64,447 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 8 µg/L — URBAN BLUFFS - NORTH · 1,558 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 6 µg/L 60% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Highest in the city: COUNTRY ESTATES MOBILE HOME PARK · 35 people · 2017 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate | 3.9 µg/L 65% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L Main supplier: COUNCIL BLUFFS WATER WORKS · 64,447 people · 2018 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 3.2 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: COUNCIL BLUFFS WATER WORKS · 64,447 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 2 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: COUNCIL BLUFFS WATER WORKS · 64,447 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 2.95 µg/L — URBAN BLUFFS - NORTH · 1,558 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 2.4 pCi/L 48% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Highest in the city: COUNTRY ESTATES MOBILE HOME PARK · 35 people · 2014 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Monobromoacetic Acid | 2 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: COUNCIL BLUFFS WATER WORKS · 64,447 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 1.4 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: COUNCIL BLUFFS WATER WORKS · 64,447 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 1.5 µg/L — URBAN BLUFFS - NORTH · 1,558 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| P-Dichlorobenzene | 0.9600 µg/L 1.3% of the EPA limit 75 µg/L Main supplier: COUNCIL BLUFFS WATER WORKS · 64,447 people · 2018 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Toluene | 0.8000 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Main supplier: COUNCIL BLUFFS WATER WORKS · 64,447 people · 2018 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Pfpea | 0.0045 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: URBAN BLUFFS - NORTH · 1,558 people · 2025 | 1/3 | UCMR-5 |
| PFBS | 0.0037 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: URBAN BLUFFS - NORTH · 1,558 people · 2025 | 1/3 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfhxa | 0.0035 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: URBAN BLUFFS - NORTH · 1,558 people · 2025 | 1/3 | UCMR-5 |
| Lead | 0.0020 mg/L 13% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: COUNCIL BLUFFS WATER WORKS · 64,447 people · 2023 | 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 Council Bluffs
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| COUNCIL BLUFFS WATER WORKS | 64,447 |
| URBAN BLUFFS - NORTH | 1,558 |
| COUNTRY ESTATES MOBILE HOME PARK | 35 |
Frequently asked questions about Council Bluffs tap water
Is Council Bluffs tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 27 contaminants in the water serving Council Bluffs. 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 Council Bluffs?
3 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Council Bluffs, Iowa to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Council Bluffs's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Council Bluffs include Nitrate, Fluoride, Barium, Chlorite, Lithium. 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.