Wapello Rural Water Assoc.
EPA ID: IA9000742 · 17,263 people served · 1 ZIP code
Federal monitoring records confirm Wapello Rural Water Assoc. has operated without any EPA violations for the full five-year window — covering every contaminant category and reporting cycle across a service area of approximately 17,263 residents, with no gaps in the compliance record.
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02
Service Area Demographics
The Wapello Rural Water Assoc. serves a community with a median household income of $59,091 and an estimated 30,341 residents across its service area. Approximately 85% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
Environmental Justice Note: 55% of the population in this service area is classified as disadvantaged under EPA's EJScreen criteria. Communities with higher disadvantaged populations often face disproportionate environmental and health burdens, including aging water infrastructure and limited resources for remediation.
🌊 Where Does Your Water Come From?
Wapello Rural Water Assoc.'s water is drawn from rivers, lakes, or reservoirs. Surface water sources are more exposed to agricultural runoff, stormwater, and upstream discharges, but they typically receive more intensive treatment before reaching your tap.
About 1% of homes in Wapello 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
PFAS Detected in Service Area
PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been detected in water serving this system's area. 1 detection recorded.
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
Wapello Rural Water Assoc. (EPA ID: IA9000742) is a community water system in Iowa that serves approximately 17,263 people from surface water sources.
This system serves ZIP code 52501 in Ottumwa.
Violation History
Lead & Copper
No Lead and Copper Rule sampling data available for this water system.
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 note: This system is not yet in the EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 dataset, so its service area is derived from SDWIS registry metadata (city of record). Given the system serves 17,263 people, the real service area very likely spans additional ZIP codes that aren't reflected below.
- 52501 — Ottumwa
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Wapello Rural Water Assoc. (IA9000742) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wapello Rural Water Assoc. water safe to drink?
Based on EPA records, Wapello Rural Water Assoc. has no recorded violations in the past 5 years — a positive indicator of water quality management.
How many people does Wapello Rural Water Assoc. serve?
Wapello Rural Water Assoc. serves approximately 17,263 people across 1 ZIP code in Iowa.
Where does Wapello Rural Water Assoc. get its water?
The primary water source is surface water.
Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Detected
This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). PFAS compounds were detected below the current state-enforceable MCL.
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 Inventory
Service line breakdown reported under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) inventory requirement:
This system reports zero confirmed lead service lines in its inventory. Unknown-material counts may still warrant verification.
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.