Iowa American Water announces progress on main line replacement

DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) – Iowa American Water announced it has successfully replaced nearly 1,300 customer lead and galvanized steel water mains to date as part of its ongoing mains replacement program.

This achievement is a significant step forward in meeting the requirements of a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency mandate for all water suppliers in the country to replace both leaded and galvanized utility and customer service lines in the coming years, according to a news release. .

“The significant progress we have made in just three years demonstrates our continued commitment to modernizing water infrastructure and protecting public health,” said Brad Nielsen, president of Iowa American Water. “We intend to meet these regulatory requirements and set the standard for proactive lead mitigation in Iowa. While our water remains safe thanks to our proactive treatment measures and ongoing testing, our work is far from over and we need the continued cooperation of our customers to work with us to identify the remaining leading service lines.”

Customers with unknown service line equipment received letters from Iowa American Water with helpful information on how to self-identify and report on their service line equipment, the news release said.

Customers with confirmed lead or galvanized pipes received messages with information about reducing lead in drinking water and the company’s plans to replace these pipes in the coming years at no immediate cost, the news release said.

These letters were required by the USEPA for all water suppliers nationwide, the news release said.

Customers should be aware that they may own all or part of their water main, which carries water from the street water main to a home or business, according to Iowa American Water.

Although Iowa American Water may own only part of the service line – or none at all – under USEPA regulations, all utilities are responsible for identifying and ultimately replacing any utilities made of lead, the news release said.

At the same time, customers with lead pipes can use water as they normally do because Iowa American Water treats its drinking water with a corrosion inhibitor to reduce the chance of lead from pipes or plumbing fixtures entering the water, the news release said. .

The company regularly tests for lead in drinking water, and the water supplied to customers meets state and federal water quality regulations, including those for lead, according to Iowa American Water.

Testing has confirmed year after year that Iowa American Water’s treatment works as intended to protect public health, the news release said.

In early 2024, Iowa American Water launched a robust, interactive web-based map and encourages customers to visit the website to learn how to self-identify their service line material, the news release said.

Customers can click on the map and enter their address in the ‘Search by address’ field. The map zooms in on the address, Iowa American Water said.

The user can then click on the circular symbol and see the service line material on both the utility and customer sides, as known to the company, according to the press release.

If the customer’s pipe material is listed as unknown, customers are encouraged to help identify it and report that information to the company using the self-report survey link in the pop-up window, Iowa American Water said.

The company also developed one short video shows how to use the map, according to the press release.

“Our goal in creating this web page and map is to proactively and transparently communicate to customers not only information about their service line equipment, but also what we are doing to provide water that meets all regulations, ways they can help reduce their potential exposure to lead and how they can participate in our lead service line replacement program at no direct cost to them,” said Nielsen. “We are committed to continuing our program to identify and replace all lead service lines, and we need our customers’ cooperation to help us identify and remove lead service lines for their health, safety and peace of mind.”

Customers can learn more about their water quality at and find additional information about lead and drinking water by visiting the website at https://www.amwater.com/iaaw/Water-Quality/Lead-and-Drinking-Water/.