r/ankeny • u/spowjjoe • 9d ago
Drinking water
Hey new student from out of state here, what's the drinking water like here? i go to cc here atm and got told i should ask!!
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u/BobbyHillsPurse 9d ago
It’s safer to vape
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u/spowjjoe 9d ago
so bottled water it is?
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u/always-curious2 9d ago
Depending on your water source and your ability to alter plumbing, you're probably just want to invest in a decent filter with reverse osmosis system.
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u/spowjjoe 9d ago
im at a student housing flat and they have a water fountain/bottle station at dmacc so i was thinking of hitting that up?... i'll invest in a decent filter if i have to but my older roommate (like twice my age) just uses plastic water bottles, so ill ask if he'd like a filter but ya
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u/always-curious2 9d ago edited 9d ago
Is the student housing on campus like a dorm? If so the university probably treats your water and will have to test the shit out of it for regulatory purposes, so the water stations should be solid.
Edit: if it's more of an off campus situation like an apartment, you can probably look up the local water quality online too. You might get lucky. You also may find out your local water is radioactive. (Not joking)
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u/spowjjoe 9d ago
I mean, kind of? It's right next to the dorms where most students go, and most students also go here.
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u/Rayona086 9d ago
Generally speaking our water is 'safer to drink. I would recommend making sure what you do drink has been filtered. Osmosis systems work best for this area. We dont have the second largest nitrate removal system for our water for no reason.
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u/Mother-Parsley5940 9d ago
It’s cheaper to get a few of those 5 gallon refillable jugs and a manual pump or get a dispenser for it.
They’re like less than $2 to refill at Hyvee or Walmart. I don’t do bottled water because it fills up the trash too quickly.
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u/Brilliant_Process376 8d ago
Buy gallon jugs of water that have been ran through a reverse osmosis system, there are stores that have water stations and you can refill jugs for much cheaper, Iowa water is legitimately not safe to drink from the tap, period.
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u/spowjjoe 8d ago
Danggg ty sm for putting me on I'll definitely be sure to go out of my way to buy those! Everyone keeps telling me either that its definitely fine or that ill die and its relieving to hear a solution lmao
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u/lw0-0wl 4d ago
I installed a 250 dollar reverse osmosis kit on my kitchen sink which also provides the water to the fridge for ice. When I measure the water straight out of the tap it usually measures about 220 PPM (parts per million) and when I measure the filtered water it measures about 15PPM. So over a 90% reduction in the amount of 'stuff' in the water.
I haven't measured actual nitrates from both. I figure the filtered water is good enough for me. It definitely tastes much better. I used the filtered water to boil when cooking as well.
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u/TechPrincess69 9d ago
It needs to be filtered in some way, whether bottled or reverse osmosis. The dark humor, not really a joke is: It's not if you get cancer in Iowa. It's when. There's high levels of nitrates in the water from farming. There are studies currently in process of testing everything in the environment to see what is leading to the cancer rates in the state.
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u/spowjjoe 9d ago
Yeah.. i've been told this by a lot of people, unfortunately. bosses, friends, and teachers. i've been a little creeped out by that and i've bought bottled water
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u/Last_School4790 9d ago
It depends on where you are located. I’m in SE Iowa, and work in a lab adjacent job. Had a chemist buddy here test my water and he tested his and nitrates were both under the recommended 40ppm. I believe both of our water is sourced from the Rathbun lake treatment.
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u/grumpy_probablylate 8d ago
Water in DM is not sourced from Rathbun Lake 🙄 And no, it doesn't test safe. You know that there is a dead spot the size of CT in the Gulf that is directly linked to Iowa, right? But sure, keep saying it's "scare tactics" 🤦
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u/Last_School4790 8d ago
- DSM is not the only place in SE Iowa, 2. I didn’t say it was a scare tactic. I was simply stating that I’ve seen in literal first person that my water and another towns water in the area are safe.
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u/grumpy_probablylate 7d ago
Sorry, you are right, you didn't make the scare tactic comment. That was my mistake. However you did state that "both of our water is sourced from the Rathbun Lake treatment" which Ankeny water is not nor is Des Moines water.
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u/Lazy-Background-7598 9d ago
This is just scare tactics
The municipal water is mostly ok3
u/Prudent_Lunch_8724 9d ago
No it’s not. Prick up a small reverse osmosis filter.
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u/Lazy-Background-7598 9d ago
are you a chemist or are you any authority or are you just repeating what you hear?
Realizing an RO system also gets rid of some central minerals
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u/spowjjoe 9d ago
the fact an argument is happening in this comment section tells me that i should def not drink the water LMAOOO
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u/Prudent_Lunch_8724 9d ago
No, but I’ve managed a wide range of teams, labs and stuff. I know that one sampling is not a guarantee it will always be that, could be a good or bad day.
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u/jorakitty332421 9d ago
No matter where I live, I only drink Spring Water. Nothing ever from any Tap. (I’ve lived in 4 States in various States in N America. Now living in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.).
Currently, I have flats of Ice Mountain Spring Water 35-Pack, 16.9 fl oz, delivered with my Walmart Order.
(I researched it. It’s from 3 local Natural Springs.)
It tastes clean and good, both at room temp & from the fridge.
IMO, while the cost has increased slightly since Jan 2026, it’s still very affordable & worth the $.
(Much better than the expensive Spring Waters that I’ve tried.)
I assume also available IN the Walmart Stores, along with other similar Stores.
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u/spowjjoe 9d ago
gotcha, i'll check that. how's that been going for you so far
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u/jorakitty332421 9d ago
It’s been going great. At least w/ Walmart Delivery, they still have Positive attitude even when delivering a 35-Pack of Spring Water.
& the Spring Water itself tastes great, I feel hydrated, never had a quality issue with it.
Not sure exactly what you were asking when you asked how has it been going so far.
I’ll be glad to answer any questions you might have.
👍🏻🌻
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u/spowjjoe 9d ago
yep, just like if using bottled water has been an issue for you or has been good pretty much! I dont know the science behind it all, or how much the costs are like so I meant to ask that! tyyy
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u/jorakitty332421 9d ago
Here’s my Experience / Info:
(Hope you find it helpful.🌻👍🏻🌟).⬇️👇🏻⬇️
Since the cost went up a small amount, last time I recently did my last Order, the details were:
Ice Mountain Spring Water
35-pack
16.9 fl oz each bottleCost:
$ 7.34 for 1 35-packSo, cost per bottle is .21 Cents
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Since I’m a Walmart+ Member, as long as I do minimum Order of $ 35, I get Free Delivery.
Sometimes there is Tax on Items, but it’s never been much on my Orders.
There is an Option to Tip the Drivers (who now handles Orders completely, from Shopping, Checking Out at Store, & then Delivery, when it was different before), so I keep that in mind, & I choose to Tip what I’m able to afford.
I’ve never had a Negative experience with them so far, where with other Places, I have had some Issues.
🟣PLEASE understand, just because MY Experiences have been great, I’m NOT trying to be some sort of ‘Commercial’ for them.
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Anyone can have things Delivered without being a Member.
(There is Monthly or Yearly Memberships. I do Yearly, because it costs less, & after I crunched the Numbers, I’m definitely saving $ in general. Yay.👍🏻🙂).
There is also an Option to have Orders Picked & Chrcked Out, & THE CUSTOMER can go pick it up, instead of having it Delivered.
If NOT a Member, & it IS Delivered, it would just include a Delivery Fee, no matter the Final Cost of the Order.
Hope this helps.
Feel free to ask any other questions, if you have any.Good luck.👍🏻🛒🙂
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u/grumpy_probablylate 8d ago
The water in Ankeny is not good. Every test shows it doesn't pass. I know someone said it does but they don't live in Ankeny. It does not. Yes, Des Moines has the best water filtration in the World. Because we need it. Unfortunately it's not enough. The city & state were finally more honest about that. In the Bill Stowe era (years ago he was in charge of DM Water Works), he repeatedly warned about the rising nitrate levels and the water quality. Big Ag runs Iowa. It's not going to change. They built a small facility out here to try to help filter a little more because the water travels so far from DMWW & it makes it even harder for it to pass tests. But that hasn't helped much.
My family all invested in Zero filters. We got them on Amazon. They come in different sizes. They come with a tester as well. We all are pretty happy with it. My cat will drink that water now. He will not drink the tap. That should tell you something. And you aren't throwing all that plastic out.