West Des Moines Water Works

Our Mission Statement: We are pleased to present our annual water quality report covering all testing conducted between January 1 and December 31, 2018. Over the years, we've dedicated ourselves to producing water that meets all state and federal standards. We continuously adopt new methods to deliver the highest quality water to you.

As new water safety challenges emerge, we remain vigilant in meeting source water protection goals, conservation initiatives, and community education while serving all our customers' needs. Please remember we're always available for questions about your water. For more information about this report or any water-related concerns, please contact Mitch Pinkerton, Water Production Manager, at (515) 222-3465.

Community Involvement: You're invited to participate in public forums and share your water concerns. The West Des Moines Water Works Board of Trustees typically meets at 4 p.m. on the third Monday of each month. Visit www.wdmww.com for current meeting schedules.

Source Water Assessment: West Des Moines Water Works obtains water from the sand and gravel of the Raccoon River Alluvial aquifer. This source was determined to be highly susceptible to contamination due to minimal protective characteristics of the aquifer and overlying materials. The wells are vulnerable to contaminants like leaking storage tanks, chemical spills, and fertilizer runoff.

We also source from the sandstone and dolomite of the Cambrian-Ordovician Aquifer, which has low contamination susceptibility due to natural protective barriers. Additionally, Des Moines Water Works provides water from surface sources that may be vulnerable to watershed contamination. Detailed source water evaluations are available from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources at (515) 222-3465.

Important Health Information: Nitrate levels above 10 ppm pose health risks to infants under six months, potentially causing blue baby syndrome. Nitrate levels may spike during rainfall or agricultural activity periods. If caring for an infant, consult your physician.

Some individuals may be more vulnerable to water contaminants than the general population. Immunocompromised persons, including cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, organ transplant recipients, people with HIV/AIDS, elderly individuals, and infants may face increased infection risks. These individuals should seek advice from healthcare providers. EPA/CDC guidelines on reducing Cryptosporidium infection risk are available at (800) 426-4791 or http://water.epa.gov/drink/hotline.

Substances That Could Be in Water: To ensure drinking water safety, the EPA establishes regulations limiting contaminant levels in public water systems. FDA regulations set similar limits for bottled water. All water sources may contain some contaminants, though their presence doesn't necessarily indicate health risks.

Water sources (both tap and bottled) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over land or underground, it dissolves natural minerals, sometimes radioactive materials, and substances from animal or human activity.

Potential contaminants include:

• Microbial contaminants (viruses, bacteria) from sewage plants, septic systems, agricultural operations, or wildlife
• Inorganic contaminants (salts, metals) from natural sources, urban runoff, wastewater discharges, oil/gas production, mining, or farming
• Pesticides and herbicides from agriculture, urban runoff, and residential uses
• Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organics from industrial processes, petroleum production, gas stations, urban runoff, and septic systems
• Radioactive contaminants, naturally occurring or from oil/gas production and mining

For more information about contaminants and potential health effects, contact the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791.

Where Does My Water Come From? West Des Moines Water Works obtains water from 17 shallow wells (40-50 feet deep) drawing from the Raccoon River Alluvial Aquifer. We also source from four Jordan Aquifer wells (2,500 feet deep). Additionally, some water is purchased from Des Moines Water Works (DMWW), which treats water from the Raccoon and Des Moines Rivers. Approximately 4,500 customers receive water exclusively from Des Moines Water Works.

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