Iowa City 1997 Drinking Water Quality Summary

Click here for 1998 Summary

Iowa City/Coralville Area Online Resource
Brought to you by JEONET.

How do I read this table?
This table shows the contaminants detected in your water between January 1 and December 31, 1997, and contaminants that were not tested for this year but were detected in previous years (shown by the date next to the contaminants name). A key to the units used is also available and explains how to interpret the numbers.

Contaminant Unit Maximum Allowed Detected Level Source
Coliform Bacteria MPN/100 mL Less than 5% of samples 0 Human, animal waste or soil
Giardia cysts per 100 Liter TT 0 Waterborne parasite found in surface water.
Cryptosporidum oocysts per 100 Liter TT 0 Waterborne parasite found in surface water.
Turbidity NTU 0.5 0.27*** Soil runoff.
Barium ppm 2 0.1 Discharge of drilling wastes; discharge from metal refineries; erosion of natural deposits.
Fluoride ppm 4 1.08* Water additive which promotes strong teeth; erosion of natural deposits.
Nitrate (as N) ppm 10 4.6* Runoff from fertilizer use; leaching from septic tanks, sewage and erosion of natural deposits.
Atrazine ppb 3 0.3* This organic chemical, a herbicide, migrates to drinking water by runoff or leaching.
Total Trihalomethane ppb 100 68** By-product of drinking water chlorination.
Gross Alpha (April 94) pCi/L 15 3.1 Gross alpha is a form of natural radiation.
Free Chlorine ppm 4 1.3* Water additive used for disinfection of water.
Total Hardness (CaCO3) ppm N/A 250-390 Calcium Carbonate occurs as erosion of natural deposits.
Calcium Hardness (CaCO3) grains per gallon N/A 15-23 Calcium Carbonate occurs as erosion of natural deposits.
Alkalinity (CaCO3) ppm N/A 90-250 Alkalinity comes from the bicarbonate, hydroxide components of a natural or treated water supply.
Sodium ppm N/A 47 Erosion of natural deposits.
Metolachor ppb N/A 0.38 This organic chemical, a herbicide, migrates to drinking water by runoff or leaching.
Total Dissolved Solids ppm N/A 260-700 Matter suspended and dissolved in water, due to erosion of natural deposits.
Temperature degrees F N/A 33-86 Water Temperature is due to the Iowa River and deep well sources.
pH units N/A 7.2-8.6 pH identifies the presence of acid or base in water; 7.0 is neutral.