Official State of Iowa Website Here is how you know

Water Supply Operations (WSO) Section

New well

Corey McCoid, Supervisor
Telephone: 515-577-3551
E-mail: corey.mccoid@dnr.iowa.gov
Office location: Wallace State Office Building, 502 E. 9th Street, Des Moines, IA 50319-0034
Reception Telephone: 515-725-8200
Fax: 515-725-8202

Water Supply Staff Roster

General Information:
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (Iowa DNR) administers the Public Drinking Water Program in Iowa under delegation of authority from the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

The Water Supply Engineering (WSE) Section and the Water Supply Operations (WSO) Section are responsible for the programs associated with the public and private water supply systems of Iowa.  Both sections are housed in the Iowa DNR’s Water Quality Bureau.  In addition, the sections are responsible for Iowa’s water allocation and use program; environmental laboratory certification program; certification programs for water operators, wastewater operators, and well drillers; and the technical aspects of the drinking water state revolving loan fund program.  The Iowa DNR’s Field Services & Compliance Bureau has the inspection component of the public water supply program, compliance with operator certification requirements, site surveys for new wells, and other field activities.


Water Supply Operations Section:
The Water Supply Operations Section has several functional areas:

  • Public water supply system operation permitting, which entails the issuance of operation permits to each supply with monitoring requirements and schedules specific to the supply;
  • Compliance and enforcement determination, which entails assistance to systems, determining if systems are in compliance with the sampling and reporting requirements, and issuing enforcement actions as needed, including compliance schedules; 
  • Certification of water operators, which entails the initial and renewal certification of water treatment and water distribution operators;
  • Certification of environmental laboratories, which entails certification of laboratories conducting compliance sample analysis; and,
  • Assistance with "cross-cutters" required under the Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund.

What is a public water supply system?
A public water supply system is defined as a system that provides water for human consumption that has at least 15 service connections or serves at least 25 people at least 60 days during the year.  There are three types of public water supplies, with the classification determined by the population the system serves:

  • Community public water supplies (CWS) are those that serve year-round residents.  Examples of a CWS include a town, city, subdivision, mobile home park, or unincorporated town.
  • Non-transient non-community public water supplies (NTNC) are those that regularly serve at least 25 of the same people, four or more hours per day, four or more days per week, for at least six months during the year.  Examples of an NTNC include a factory, daycare center, school, or office building.
  • Transient non-community public water supplies (TNC) are those that serve at least 25 people for at least 60 days during the year.  Examples of a TNC include a park, golf course, camp, bar, restaurant, or highway rest area.

Active public water supply systems regulated by DNR (10/2020)
Active public water supply systems regulated by DNR (10/2020)


Information available on the webpages:

  • Forms used in the operation of public water supply systems, sampling plan templates, etc.
  • Public Notice documents, including templates, required language, emergency notification, etc.
  • Training and Information Videos, developed to assist systems in compliance with sampling protocols, completion of forms, etc.
  • Assistance Links, which includes links to a variety of sources that interest drinking water professionals

Iowa Drinking Water Data Portal:
The Iowa Drinking Water Data Portal provides information on the quality of water produced by public water supply systems in Iowa.

  • Search tab allows location of your local water supply and its details by specifying search criteria, or via county map
  • Summary tab displays summary statistics for public water supplies, violations, sanitary surveys, and permits
  • Reports tab has a search function for finding drinking water sample analytical results, water supply system permits, violations, and links to related resources such as the Annual Compliance Report