Overview
Legal does not necessarily equal safe.
- Getting a passing grade from the federal government does not mean the water meets the latest health guidelines.
- Legal limits for contaminants in tap water have not been updated in almost 20 years.
- The best way to ensure clean tap water is to keep pollution out of source water in the first place.
AquaPura's analysis shows 13 contaminant(s) detected in West Des Moines Water Works's water exceed recommended health guidelines, though they may be within legal limits set by the EPA.
Contaminants Detected
Bromodichloromethane
Potential Effect: cancer
This Utility: 5.5 ppb
No Legal Limit
92x
EWG's Health Guideline:
0.06 ppb
0.06 ppb
Chloroform
Potential Effect: cancer
This Utility: 7.53 ppb
No Legal Limit
19x
EWG's Health Guideline:
0.4 ppb
0.4 ppb
Chromium (hexavalent)*
Potential Effect: cancer
This Utility: 0.867 ppb
No Legal Limit
43x
EWG's Health Guideline:
0.02 ppb
0.02 ppb
Dibromochloromethane
Potential Effect: cancer
This Utility: 8.79 ppb
No Legal Limit
88x
EWG's Health Guideline:
0.1 ppb
0.1 ppb
Haloacetic acids (HAA5)
Potential Effect: cancer
This Utility: 2.89 ppb
Legal Limit: 60 ppb
29x
EWG's Health Guideline:
0.1 ppb
0.1 ppb
Haloacetic acids (HAA9)*
Potential Effect: cancer
This Utility: 12.3 ppb
No Legal Limit
206x
EWG's Health Guideline:
0.06 ppb
0.06 ppb
This Utility: 0.613 ppm
Legal Limit: 10 ppb
4.4x
EWG's Health Guideline:
0.14 ppb
0.14 ppb
Radium, combined (-226 and -228)
Potential Effect: cancer
This Utility: 0.73 ppb
Legal Limit: 5 ppb
15x
EWG's Health Guideline:
0.05 ppb
0.05 ppb
Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Potential Effect: cancer
This Utility: 39.1 ppb
Legal Limit: 80 ppb
261x
EWG's Health Guideline:
0.15 ppb
0.15 ppb
This Utility: 0.1 ppt
No Legal Limit
This Utility: 0.25 ppt
No Legal Limit
EWG's Health Guideline:
1 ppt
1 ppt
This Utility: 0.2 ppb
Legal Limit: 5 ppb
EWG's Health Guideline:
4 ppb
4 ppb
This Utility: 0.2 ppb
No Legal Limit
This Utility: 0.162 ppt
No Legal Limit
EWG's Health Guideline:
1000 ppt
1000 ppt
This Utility: 0.569 ppt
No Legal Limit
EWG's Health Guideline:
1000 ppt
1000 ppt
This Utility: 0.235 ppt
Legal Limit: 4 ppt
EWG's Health Guideline:
0.3 ppt
0.3 ppt
This Utility: 0.692 ppt
No Legal Limit
EWG's Health Guideline:
1000 ppt
1000 ppt
Trichloroacetic acid
Potential Effect: cancer
This Utility: 0.125 ppb
No Legal Limit
EWG's Health Guideline:
0.1 ppb
0.1 ppb
This Utility: 0.207 ppb
Legal Limit: 70 ppb
This Utility: 0.000917 ppb
No Legal Limit
Find a Filter
See which water filtration technologies are effective at reducing the contaminants detected in this utility's water supply.
Carbon Filters
Filters 10 contaminants exceeding guidelines (+15 others)
Can reduce the levels of many common contaminants.
Pros
- Lower upfront cost
- Reduced maintenance
Cons
- Does not remove all contaminants
Reverse Osmosis
Filters 13 contaminants exceeding guidelines (+20 others)
Can reduce the levels of many common contaminants.
Pros
- Most effective
Cons
- Higher upfront cost
- Requires more maintenance
- Wastes water
Other Considerations
Ion Exchange
PROS: Softens hard water, Reduces some contaminants
CONS: Doesn't remove all contaminants
Whole-House Filters
PROS: Useful for reducing radiologicals and TCE
CONS: Expensive to install and maintain, Risk of bacterial contamination
Explore filter options for each contaminant. See which technologies are effective at reducing specific contaminants.
| Contaminant | Activated Carbon | Reverse Osmosis | Ion Exchange |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contaminants Above Health Guidelines | |||
| Bromodichloromethane | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Bromoform | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Chloroform | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Chromium (hexavalent)* | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dibromoacetic acid | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Dibromochloromethane | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Dichloroacetic acid | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA9)* | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Nitrate | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Radium, combined (-226 and -228) | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Total PFOS and PFOA | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Other Contaminants Detected | |||
| 4-Androstene-3,17-dione* | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| 6:2 Fluorotelomer sulfonate (6 2FTS) * | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Atrazine* | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Bromochloromethane | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Chlorate* | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| Dalapon | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Dichloromethane (methylene chloride) | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Fluoride | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Lithium | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Manganese | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Metolachlor | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Molybdenum | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Monochloroacetic acid | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Nitrite | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Perfluorobutanoic Acid (PFBA) | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA) | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Perfluoropentanoic Acid (PFPeA) | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Quinoline | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| Strontium* | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Trichloroacetic acid | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Vanadium* | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
| cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| o-toluidine | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
Protect your family's health.
Don't wait for your utility to improve. Get a free water analysis from AquaPura and find the right filtration system for your home.