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Newell water-quality report shows regulated contaminants below U.S. limits; lead 90th percentile low
Summary
The Newell Water Treatment Plant’s 2025 Consumer Confidence Report (released March 12, 2026) says groundwater is the system source and that tested contaminants — including lead, copper, haloacetic acids, chlorine, fluoride, and nitrate — were below regulatory limits; the report includes lead-reduction guidance and contact information.
The Newell Water Treatment Plant released its 2025 Consumer Confidence Report on March 12, 2026, saying the system’s source water is groundwater and that routine monitoring found all listed contaminants within required limits. The report lists the public water system ID as 1155049 and provides a contact phone number for the plant (712-272-4410).
The report’s most recent monitoring results show a running annual average for total haloacetic acids (HAA5) of 22 ppb (MCL 60 ppb) and a chlorine running annual average of 2.6 ppm (MRDL 4.0 ppm). Lead testing returned a 90th-percentile value of 1.10 ppb against an action level of 15 ppb, and copper’s 90th-percentile value was 1.0325 ppm (range cited in the report: 0.0203–1.2695 ppm) against an action level of 1.3 ppm. The report also lists single-sample results for other analytes: chromium 0.60 ppb, fluoride 0.43 ppm, barium 0.0083 ppm, antimony 0.30 ppb, selenium 2.10 ppb, sodium 138.95 ppm, and nitrate (as N) 0.70 ppm. Where sample dates are given, they include tests reported from 07/26/2022 through 12/31/2025.
The report explains regulatory terms used in the CCR — including Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL), Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG), Action Level (AL), and Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL) — and reiterates that the presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate a health risk. It directs people with concerns to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline and to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources for the source-water assessment. The CCR states that the Buried Sand and Gravel aquifer serving this system was assessed by the Iowa DNR and determined to have low susceptibility to contamination.
Because certain groups face higher risk from some contaminants, the report advises immuno-compromised persons, people undergoing chemotherapy, organ-transplant recipients, people with HIV/AIDS, some elderly people, and infants to seek advice from their healthcare providers about drinking water. The report also offers practical steps residents can take to reduce potential lead exposure in household plumbing: use only cold water for drinking and food preparation, consider a filter certified to reduce lead by an ANSI-accredited certifier, follow manufacturer instructions for filters, and flush taps for several minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. The CCR notes that boiling water does not remove lead.
For more information the report lists the Newell Water Treatment Plant phone number (712-272-4410) and points readers to the EPA resources on lead in drinking water and the Iowa Drinking Water Data Portal for lead sampling results. The CCR was issued March 12, 2026, and the document identifies itself as the CCR for 2025.
