The City of Ames Water Treatment Plant staff understands that Ames residents rely on us to ensure the safety and quality of the City drinking water. With such a large responsibility placed in our hands, we are not content to simply comply with regulations to keep your water clean and safe; we observe the letter of the law and embrace the spirit of it. It's not enough that we ensure the quality of our water, we must also be vigilant about the transmission system that gets our water to you through your tap. 

The type of incidents that have made headlines in the U.S. are unlikely here because we control the stability of our water by maintaining appropriate pH and alkalinity levels.  This process helps build a protective coating in water pipes to prevent corrosion so that lead and copper cannot be leached into the water.  Also, every three years, the City is required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to test high-risk residences for lead and copper levels. Recently, due to our growing population, we are testing more frequently.  These findings are reported at the state level to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and are disclosed in our annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR).

The Ames Water Treatment Plant is diligent in managing the drinking water chemistry, but we also want to educate residents on the topic of lead in drinking water.  We know that your family’s health is of the utmost importance to you; we want you to know, it is just as important to us.

Click here to view the 2024 Inventory of Lead Service Lines in Ames 

Click here to view the City of Ames 2016* Lead Service Lines Map

*An updated 2024 Lead Service Lines Map will be available soon.

For additional information and resources, click here to view the

City of Ames Lead Service Line Notice

Contacts & Resources:

City of Ames Water & Pollution Control Department: 515-239-5150 (Answered 24 hours a day)
Calvin Forte – Water Plant Superintendent
Maureen Moroney – Laboratory Supervisor
John Dunn – Director

State of Iowa: 
Iowa DNR (Department of Natural Resources) Drinking Water Compliance
Iowa DNR Private Well Testing Information

Federal Contacts:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline: 1-800-426-4791
Lead Information Center Hotline:1-800-424-5323 (1-800-424-LEAD) 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Lead

Organizations:
American Water Works Association (AWWA) Consumer Information

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