The EPA’s monitoring of the Iowa-American Water Company serving Clinton and Clinton County found no perchlorate detected above the 4.0 micrograms per liter reporting level in 9 samples collected between 2002 and 2003. This water system serves over 24,000 residents through groundwater sources and has no recorded health-based violations involving perchlorate.
If you want to understand the meaning of these perchlorate measurements
The EPA monitoring was not a compliance test but an occurrence survey that measured perchlorate at low detection thresholds. No sample exceeded the reporting level, and no federal maximum contaminant level (MCL) exists for perchlorate. Therefore, these results do not indicate a violation, unsafe water, or contamination. Instead, they document that perchlorate was not detected within the limits of the survey in this public water system's groundwater supplies during that period.
If you want to know how many samples and wells the perchlorate data represent
The findings come from 9 samples collected from public water system sources over approximately 10 months, covering 10,452 service connections. These samples represent a limited set of groundwater points in the system. Because the sample size and sampling frequency are restricted, variations in perchlorate levels at other times or locations in the system cannot be ruled out without further testing.
If your household is larger, a second home, or used seasonally
These EPA results reflect the overall public water system but do not capture water quality fluctuations that might occur in larger or less frequently used homes. Properties with multiple bathrooms, irrigation needs, or periods of vacancy may experience different water chemistry dynamics or require filtration capacities adjusted to higher or intermittent use.
If you want to know how source type and sampling depth affect interpretation
This system’s water comes from groundwater wells; perchlorate’s presence depends on regional environmental factors affecting those wells. Sample depth and well construction influence detection possibilities. Homeowners with private wells, or those accessing deeper or shallower water, should consider specific testing because local conditions can differ from public system averages.
If you want to determine if perchlorate is affecting your home water and next steps
Begin with basic checks such as reviewing recent water testing reports if available, then consider contacting a certified laboratory for perchlorate analysis of your home water. Confirming your own water quality is essential since regional data cannot substitute for your home's specific conditions.
If you notice symptoms attributed to perchlorate in your household water
Since the public water system has no health-based violations for perchlorate, issues like taste, staining, or plumbing corrosion are unlikely linked to this contaminant. Perchlorate primarily affects thyroid function at prolonged high exposures, so absence of detection in regional samples indicates low likelihood of related household symptoms.
Summarizing, EPA’s perchlorate data for Clinton’s public water system show no detections above reporting levels, supporting water quality stability at the system level. However, confirming your household's water through testing is the reliable way to assess perchlorate presence and decide if treatment is appropriate.
For households facing perchlorate concerns after equipment failure, the Fleck Perchlorate Filter ships ready to configure, providing a documented method to reduce perchlorate in residential water. Taking this step after confirming perchlorate levels in your water helps optimize protection tailored to your home’s conditions.
Where this information comes from
Source: EPA SDWIS public water system record. Sampled 2003-03-11. These figures describe the public water system's record, not the plumbing inside any individual building.
On record: EPA UCMR1 monitoring (2001-2005) for IOWA-AMERICAN WTR CO-CLINTON DISTRICT (IA2326048), IA: 9 results across 1 listed contaminants, 0 detections above the reporting level; nothing detected above the method reporting level
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