Source Water

Source water is the body of water a public water supplier draws from to obtain its raw water supply. This water is treated and distributed to the community. The two main types of source water are surface water, such as rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, and groundwater. The source water for Des Moines Water Works is surface water from the Raccoon and Des Moines Rivers, and shallow groundwater collection systems under the influence of each river.

Protecting our water resources from contamination is imperative to the quality of life in Iowa. Our Source Water Assessment project is designed to prevent source water contamination by identifying, minimizing, or eliminating existing sources of contamination. It will allow us to determine source water susceptibility and provide for prevention of future contamination. 

Predicting Yield of a Horizontal Well