River water, nitrate and lime
Des Moines Water Works draws from the Raccoon River and the Des Moines River, along with an infiltration gallery that collects water filtering through the sands beside the Raccoon. The Fleur Drive Treatment Plant near the airport road is the main plant. The L.D. McMullen plant on the west edge of the metro treats water from Maffitt Reservoir and its nearby wells, and a newer plant near Saylorville Lake treats water drawn from the Des Moines River side.
Both rivers run through some of the most intensively farmed land in the country, and in wet springs nitrate from fertilized fields can climb well past the federal limit. Fleur Drive has one of the largest nitrate removal facilities in the world, built in the early 1990s, and the utility runs it when river levels demand. Periods of heavy use have made headlines and prompted calls for lawn-watering restraint.
Lime softening at the plants takes the edge off, but Des Moines water still arrives hard. Gas tanks here build sediment layers that rumble within a few years of installation, and electric elements in basement tanks get crusted with calcium.
Beaverdale bricks and south side bungalows
Basements are nearly universal in Des Moines, and the heater almost always sits in one. Beaverdale is known for its 1920s and 1930s brick homes, often called Beaverdale brick, with full basements where heater and furnace share a chimney. The Drake neighborhood, Sherman Hill and the grand homes along Grand Avenue and in Salisbury Oaks add older foursquares, Victorians and period-revival houses, some converted into apartments.
The south side, from Southridge to the neighborhoods off Southeast 14th Street, has many modest bungalows and post-war ranches with unfinished basements. Highland Park and Union Park on the north side have similar housing stock. Newer apartments in the East Village and downtown often use closet electric tanks or central boilers.
Older Des Moines basements have their share of quirks: low ceilings, floor drains that back up in storms, and cast iron or galvanized lines that may fail when someone disturbs them during a heater swap.
Floods and Iowa winters
Des Moines remembers 1993. That summer, floodwater from the Raccoon River overtopped levees and swamped the Fleur Drive plant, leaving roughly a quarter million people without tap water for nearly two weeks. Heavy rains flood basements around the rivers and low-lying creeks in many springs, and the 2008 floods hit parts of the city again.
A heater that has sat in floodwater, especially a gas unit with a submerged burner or control, should be replaced rather than relit. Raising the heater on a stand and keeping a sump pump in good order reduce the risk.
Iowa winters bring weeks of subzero nights, and incoming river water drops into the mid 30s. That cold load stretches recovery in undersized tanks and causes complaints about short showers in January.
The problems plumbers see most in Des Moines
- Rumbling gas tanks full of lime scale from hard river water.
- Crusted lower elements in electric tanks in East Village and Drake-area apartments.
- Flood-damaged heaters in basements near the Raccoon and Des Moines rivers.
- Backdrafting into old shared chimneys in Beaverdale and Sherman Hill after furnace upgrades.
- Short hot water supply in January when 35 °F water meets an aging 40-gallon tank.
- Corroded galvanized or iron connections that crack during a heater swap.
Typical water heater prices in Des Moines
| Job | Typical Des Moines range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Thermocouple, igniter or pilot repair | $140–$275 | |
| Gas control valve | $275–$525 | |
| Electric element and thermostat | $140–$325 | |
| Flush and drain valve replacement | $100–$225 | |
| Expansion tank installation | $175–$375 | |
| 40–50 gallon gas tank replacement | $1,300–$2,900 | City permit usually included |
| Tankless gas installation | $2,900–$5,500 | Gas line and venting changes vary |
Labor in the Des Moines metro is reasonable compared with coastal cities. A heater in a cramped Beaverdale basement, chimney liner work, replacing corroded supply lines or a call during a January cold snap will move the price up the range.
Iowa licensing and city permits
Iowa licenses plumbers statewide through the Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board, now part of the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing. A journeyman or master plumber license, and a contractor license for the business, are required for paid work. You can confirm both with the state's online license search.
Within Des Moines, permits for water heater replacement come from the city's Permit and Development Center, which handles building, plumbing and mechanical permits. Inspectors look for a properly piped relief valve, correct venting, a safe gas connection and an expansion tank where the water service has a check valve or pressure reducer. Suburbs like West Des Moines, Urbandale and Ankeny issue their own permits.
MidAmerican Energy and replacement options
MidAmerican Energy is the Des Moines utility for gas as well as power. Gas tanks remain the standard choice in older homes with existing gas service, and they keep working during power outages. Iowa's wind farms supply a large share of MidAmerican's electricity, which has made electric and heat pump water heaters more attractive to some households.
MidAmerican has run water heater rebate programs at times. Heat pump units work well in a spacious basement, though they cool the space in winter. A high-efficiency condensing gas tank or tankless system is another option, especially if a chimney liner would otherwise be needed.
Basement upkeep in Des Moines
Drain the tank once a year and flush fully every two or three years. Test the relief valve and look at the anode around the midpoint of the heater's life, since hard water consumes the rod. Keep the area around the heater dry and clear so a leak is spotted before it reaches finished space, and make sure the floor drain and sump pump work before spring storms. If the house has a softener, that slows sediment but means the anode wears sooner.
Repair or replace in Des Moines
A valve, igniter or element repair is usually worthwhile on a heater younger than eight years. Many Des Moines gas tanks last 8 to 11 years on this hard water. Persistent rumbling after a flush, rust at the base or moisture around the tank means replacement should be on the calendar. If you are replacing after flood damage, consider raising the new heater and adding a backwater valve.
Around Des Moines
West Des Moines has its own water works, and Urbandale, Ankeny, Johnston and Clive each run separate permit offices and partly separate water systems. Waukee, Altoona and Pleasant Hill also issue their own permits. Iowa's state plumbing license is valid across all of them, so a qualified plumber can work the whole metro.
Water heater questions from Des Moines
Why is Des Moines tap water so hard?
Both rivers carry dissolved limestone minerals from central Iowa. Lime softening at the plants lowers hardness but does not remove it.
Does the nitrate in Des Moines water affect my heater?
No. Nitrate is removed for health reasons when needed, and it has little effect on a water heater. Hardness is the bigger concern.
Who issues water heater permits in Des Moines?
The City of Des Moines Permit and Development Center. Suburbs issue their own permits.
Should I replace a water heater that sat in floodwater?
Usually yes, especially a gas unit with submerged controls. Have it inspected before turning it back on.
How do I verify an Iowa plumber's license?
Search the state's plumbing and mechanical license database, run by Iowa's inspections and licensing department.
My Des Moines showers go lukewarm in January. Why?
January river water from the Raccoon can arrive in the mid 30s, which stretches a tank's recovery. A larger tank or higher-recovery model can help at replacement time.