Spencer Municipal Water Utility
EPA ID: IA2171071 · 11,325 people served · 1 ZIP code
Unlike many utilities its size, Spencer Municipal Water Utility carries a violation-free five-year record — no EPA notices, no MCL exceedances, serving 11,325 people.
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02
Service Area Map
Coverage area for Spencer Municipal Water Utility Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary — Grade C
Service Area Demographics
The Spencer Municipal Water Utility serves a community with a median household income of $61,175 and an estimated 12,402 residents across its service area. Approximately 73% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
💧 Where Does Your Water Come From?
Spencer Municipal Water Utility's water is pumped from underground aquifers. Groundwater is naturally filtered through rock and soil, but it can be vulnerable to PFAS contamination, nitrates from agriculture, and industrial chemicals that seep into the water table.
About 1% of homes in Clay County, Iowa rely on private wells rather than public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own water testing and treatment.
Infrastructure Risk
Comparable Water Systems
Similar-sized systems in Iowa
Estimated Remediation Costs
Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system
Based on national averages for common remediation projects. Actual costs vary by property. Only issues flagged by EPA, FEMA, or state data for each ZIP code are included.
System Overview
Spencer Municipal Water Utility (EPA ID: IA2171071) is a community water system in Iowa that serves approximately 11,325 people from groundwater sources.
This system serves ZIP code 51301 in Spencer.
Average Home Safety Score: C (60/100)
Based on water quality violations, lead levels, and radon risk across all ZIP codes served by this system.
Violation History
Lead & Copper
EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data for ZIP codes served by this system:
| ZIP Code | Lead Level | Exceeds Limit | Sample Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51301 | 0.0007 mg/L | No | N/A |
Radon Risk in Service Area
Dominant radon zone for ZIP codes served by this system: Zone 1 (High Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Need help with your water quality?
Typical cost: Water test: typically $20–$50 (DIY kit) · Professional inspection: $150–$400
Find the Right Water FilterFree tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking — this helps flush lead from your pipes.
ZIP Codes Served
Coverage: Service area ZIP codes sourced from EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 (March 2026 release). These ZIPs reflect the actual deployment footprint recorded by IA or modeled from parcel and building-footprint data.
- 51301 — Spencer
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Spencer Municipal Water Utility (IA2171071) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Spencer Municipal Water Utility water safe to drink?
Based on EPA records, Spencer Municipal Water Utility has no recorded violations in the past 5 years — a positive indicator of water quality management.
How many people does Spencer Municipal Water Utility serve?
Spencer Municipal Water Utility serves approximately 11,325 people across 1 ZIP code in Iowa.
Where does Spencer Municipal Water Utility get its water?
The primary water source is groundwater.
Contact Your Water Utility
Public-record contact information for the water utility serving this system. Use these channels to request water quality reports, ask about service, or report issues directly.
Contact information from Spencer Municipal Utilities (SMU) Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility, does not act as its agent, and does not provide customer support for it. Contact details shown are public-record information from CCR filings. For service issues, contact the utility directly using the information above.
Water Source & Treatment
Where this water originates and how it's treated before reaching your tap.
Source: Spencer Municipal Utilities (SMU) Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. Treatment and source data are sourced from the utility's published CCR filings.
Alluvial aquifer from glacial deposits. Wellhead Protection Plan implemented by SMU and City of Spencer. Iowa DNR assessment available.
Treatment regime
How this utility classifies its treatment process and what each reported treatment chemical does.
Treatment chemicals and what each one does
Chemical names are reported verbatim by the utility. Purpose categories are ZipCheckup annotations based on standard drinking-water treatment practice.
Treatment classification and chemical list sourced from Spencer Municipal Utilities (SMU) Consumer Confidence Report.
Treatment intensity is a ZipCheckup-derived classification based on the chemicals and processes the utility reports. Chemicals and contamination sources are taken verbatim from the utility's CCR filing. Routine federal monitoring and contaminant testing shown elsewhere on this page determine whether the water meets safety standards, not the treatment classification.
Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Tested Clean
This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). No PFAS compounds were detected.
Current MCL reflects the lowest state-enforceable limit (NYS 10 ppt for PFOA/PFOS, effective August 2020). The federal final MCL of 4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS (EPA April 2024 rule) is not enforceable until April 2029. Detections above 4 ppt but below 10 ppt are below current MCL but above the future federal limit.
Source: U.S. EPA UCMR5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 5th cycle) — per-system federal sampling, 2023–2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program →
Lead Service Line Replacement Tracker
This water utility's lead service line (LSL) replacement program is tracked from public Consumer Confidence Report filings. Email signup notifies subscribers when the utility files an updated replacement plan or progress milestone.
Spencer Municipal Utilities (SMU)
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. LSL replacement-program data is sourced from public CCR filings published by the utility. Subscription notifications are based on automated parsing of subsequent CCR releases.
Learn more about Lead and Copper Rule replacement requirements →
Lead Service Line Inventory
Service line breakdown reported under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) inventory requirement:
Federal LCRI rule (effective October 2024) requires every public water system to inventory its service lines and complete lead-line replacement within 10 years.
Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Service Line Inventory (Phase 2) · Submitted 2026
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with the utility or state agency. Inventory figures render verbatim from the public LCRI submission cited above; ZipCheckup does not perform inspections or replacements.
Notable events and violations
This section summarizes events the utility chose to disclose in its most recent Consumer Confidence Report, plus any federal compliance violations the utility recorded against itself. Both lists are utility-authored — ZipCheckup does not audit, judge, or reorder them.
Notable events from the utility's CCR
These bullet entries are the utility's own narration of operational, regulatory, or infrastructure events during the reporting period.
- Report header says 2024 Water Quality Report but body text states data is for year 2023 ('Consumer Confidence Report on water quality for the year 2023').
- UCMR5 Lithium detected: avg 11 ppb (sampled 9/11/2023). Not regulated.
- Manganese health advisory = 0.004 ppm; detected at <0.02 ppm (below health advisory).
ZipCheckup note: items above reflect what the utility published in its most recent CCR. Federal violation records are also tracked separately by the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) — the SDWIS record is the authoritative federal source for any specific regulatory action.
Frequently Asked Questions
What You Can Do
Test your water
Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter →
Check your specific ZIP code
Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report →
Contact your utility
Spencer Municipal Water Utility (EPA ID: IA2171071) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.