Home hazard report for 50301 — Des Moines, IA
ZIP 50301 is served by Des Moines Water Works: 1 violation since 2016, latest lead result 0 ppb, PFAS not detected. Polk is in EPA radon zone 1.
Health-based violations since 2016: Surface Water Treatment Rule. All are listed as resolved.
90th-percentile lead in the latest round (Jan 2022). Lead comes mostly from household plumbing and service lines, so individual homes can be higher.
None of the tested PFAS were found above EPA’s reporting limits in 2023–2025.
Predicted average indoor radon above 4 pCi/L — EPA’s action level. Test your home.
The nearest active Superfund site is 7.3 miles away.
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Where ZIP 50301 is
blue: utility service area · scroll or pinch to zoomDrinking water: Des Moines Water Works
Health-based violations
| Contaminant or rule | Health-based violations since 2016 |
|---|---|
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | 1 |
A health-based violation means a contaminant exceeded its legal limit (MCL) or a required treatment technique was not met, as reported by the state to EPA’s SDWIS. All are listed as resolved or archived; the latest began May 2017.
Lead
90th-percentile lead per sampling round (90% of the homes sampled were at or below this level). Black line: EPA’s 15 ppb action level; under the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements the action level becomes 10 ppb from 2027.
PFAS (“forever chemicals”)
| Compound | Highest result | Samples with detection | EPA limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| HFPO-DA (GenX) | not detected | 0 of 12 | — |
| PFBA | not detected | 0 of 12 | — |
| PFPeA | not detected | 0 of 12 | — |
| PFDA | not detected | 0 of 12 | — |
| PFOA | not detected | 0 of 12 | 4 ppt MCL |
| PFHpA | not detected | 0 of 12 | — |
| PFHxA | not detected | 0 of 12 | — |
| PFBS | not detected | 0 of 12 | — |
| PFOS | not detected | 0 of 12 | 4 ppt MCL |
| PFNA | not detected | 0 of 12 | — |
| PFHxS | not detected | 0 of 12 | — |
EPA Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 5), samples 2023–2025; ppt = parts per trillion (ng/L). The 4.0 ppt maximum contaminant levels for PFOA and PFOS were set by EPA in 2024; water systems have until the end of the decade to comply.
Radon in Polk
EPA radon zone 1 — highest potential. Predicted average indoor radon above 4 pCi/L — EPA’s action level. Test your home.
Radon is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas from soil and rock, and the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above and considering it from 2 pCi/L. A short-term test kit costs about $15–30. How radon zones work →
Superfund sites nearby
| Site | Status | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines TCE Des Moines, Iowa · EPA ID IAD980687933 | Active (final NPL) | 7.3 mi |
| Lot 46 Valley Gardens TCE Des Moines, Iowa · EPA ID IAN000705485 | Active (final NPL) | 8.4 mi |
| Railroad Avenue Groundwater Contamination Des Moines, Iowa · EPA ID IA0001610963 | Active (final NPL) | 9.4 mi |
EPA Superfund National Priorities List (NPL): the country’s most serious known hazardous-waste sites, each with an EPA cleanup record (linked). Distance is measured from the ZIP center to the site’s reference point; being near a site does not by itself mean exposure — EPA site pages describe what was found and how it is being cleaned up.
What this is — and isn’t. These are records your water utility and state reported to the EPA, and the EPA’s radon map for your county. They describe the system and the area, not the water from your own tap or the air in your home. For that, read your utility’s annual Consumer Confidence Report and test: lead and radon tests are inexpensive.
Questions about 50301
Who supplies drinking water to ZIP 50301?
Des Moines Water Works (EPA ID IA7727031), a surface water (rivers, lakes) system serving about 246,055 people.
Is there lead in Des Moines, IA tap water?
The utility’s latest 90th-percentile lead result (Jan 2022) was 0 ppb; EPA’s action level is 15 ppb, falling to 10 ppb from 2027. Lead mostly comes from service lines and home plumbing, so the only way to know your tap is to test it.
Does Des Moines, IA water have PFAS?
None of the tested PFAS were found above EPA’s reporting limits in 2023–2025.
Has the water system in 50301 had violations?
Health-based violations since 2016: Surface Water Treatment Rule. All are listed as resolved.
Are there Superfund sites near 50301?
The nearest active Superfund site is 7.3 miles away. Sites within 10 miles: Des Moines TCE (7.3 mi, Active (final NPL)); Lot 46 Valley Gardens TCE (8.4 mi, Active (final NPL)); Railroad Avenue Groundwater Contamination (9.4 mi, Active (final NPL)).
Is radon a problem in Polk?
Polk is in EPA radon zone 1 (highest potential). Predicted average indoor radon above 4 pCi/L — EPA’s action level. Test your home.