Is Cedar Falls, IA tap water safe?
Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it
Summary
No federal limits exceeded in EPA data for Cedar Falls Municipal Water Utilities.
2 public water systems serve parts of Cedar Falls. The largest, Cedar Falls Municipal Water Utilities, serves 40,713 people. Your water bill names your system.
Largest system
Cedar Falls Municipal Water Utilities
40,713 people · Groundwater · EPA ID IA0709084
| PFAS | Highest average | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| PFOA Not detected | – | 4 ppt |
| PFOS Not detected | – | 4 ppt |
| PFHxS Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| PFNA Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
ppt = parts per trillion. "Highest average" is the highest average at any of the system's entry points, the way EPA compares results with the limits.
Lead: 1.4 ppb at the 90th percentile (Dec 2025, and 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below it) Below action level
Health-based violations since 2016: 0
Across Iowa, 1 of 151 water systems EPA tested had PFAS above a 2024 federal limit, and 4 systems were above the lead action level in results from the last five years. Iowa results.
Cedar Falls homes and lead pipes
Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so homes from before then are the ones to check. Renting? Ask your landlord what the service line is made of, because it's their pipe to replace. How to check your own line.
Housing: Census American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for Cedar Falls city (tables B25034, B25003). Estimates for small places have a margin of error.
Other water systems serving Cedar Falls
- Cedar Falls Mobile Home Village Water System388 people · Groundwater · Iowa · lists this cityNot in EPA's PFAS sample
How nearby cities compare
| City | PFAS | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|---|
| Waterloo 6 mi Waterloo Water Works | None above limits | 1.8 ppb |
| Marshalltown 41 mi Marshalltown Water Works | None above limits | 2 ppb |
| Cedar Rapids 55 mi Cedar Rapids Water Department | None above limits | 1.62 ppb |
| Marion 55 mi Marion Municipal Water Dept | None above limits | 8.3 ppb |
| Mason City 58 mi Mason City Water Department | None above limits | 2.9 ppb |
| Ames 68 mi Ames Water Treatment Plant | None above limits | 0 ppb |
Cedar Falls ZIP codes (1)
- 50613
Questions
Is Cedar Falls tap water safe to drink?
Cedar Falls Municipal Water Utilities has had no health-based violations since 2016. Utility data can't show lead from your own pipes: if your home was built before 1986, test your tap. Your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report is the official summary.
Who supplies water in Cedar Falls, IA?
2 public water systems serve parts of Cedar Falls. The largest is Cedar Falls Municipal Water Utilities (40,713 people). Your water bill names your system. The EPA ID is also on your utility's Consumer Confidence Report.
Does Cedar Falls tap water have PFAS?
None detected above EPA's reporting limits. Cedar Falls Municipal Water Utilities had no PFAS detected in EPA's 2023–2025 testing. "Not detected" means below the reporting limit (about 2 to 20 ppt), not proven zero.
Do Cedar Falls homes have lead pipes?
Census estimates put 58% of Cedar Falls homes as built before 1980 (Iowa: 62%). Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so older homes are more likely to have them. Cedar Falls Municipal Water Utilities's service line inventory says what your line is made of. The only way to know for your home is to check the line where it enters the house and test your tap.
Source: U.S. EPA drinking water records and PFAS testing (UCMR 5). How we read the data.