Black Hawk County, IA
drinking water quality
132,348 residents · 19 public water systems · 12 ZIP codes
EPA sampled 4 of 19 public water systems here, together serving about 152,598 people. The highest reading was PFHxS at 13 ng/L at Waterloo Water Works. 1 of the sampled system was above a federal limit. Last sampled 9/23/2024.
What was found
| Compound | Highest result | Federal limit | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFHxS | 13 ng/L | 10 ng/L | 1.3× |
Also detected, with no federal limit set: lithium (20000 ng/L), PFPeA (4.8 ng/L), PFBS (3.2 ng/L), PFHxA (3.1 ng/L).
What this means
PFAS are industrial chemicals that EPA describes as breaking down only very slowly in the environment. In April 2024 EPA set the first enforceable national limits: 4 ng/L for PFOA and PFOS, 10 ng/L for PFHxS, PFNA and GenX.
These figures are county-level and come from EPA’s sampling of public water systems. They describe the worst result found in the county, not what comes out of any particular tap — that depends on which system serves the address, and on the plumbing in the building. A private well is not covered by this programme at all.
ZIP codes in Black Hawk County
50613 · 50623 · 50626 · 50634 · 50643 · 50648 · 50651 · 50667 · 50701 · 50702 · 50703 · 50707
Readings are county-level, so every ZIP here shares the figure above. Search your ZIP on the map to see it in context.