Water kiosks source water from the municipal tap water supply. Some water kiosk brands claim to perform additional treatment to water before selling it to consumers as water and ice.

Kiosk companies are privately owned, for-profit companies that allow individuals or groups to purchase and operate their own kiosk.

There are very few regulations in place that require testing of kiosk water quality. By comparison, tap water is heavily tested and regulated. In Iowa, there are no requirements for kiosk owners to test if the water they provide meets Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) standards. Researchers from the University of Iowa have tested water sold from kiosks. In some cases, the water sold by kiosks does not meet SDWA standards and can expose consumers to lead and other contaminants.

This map features stand-alone kiosks in Iowa that were included in the study. We chose to examine kiosks located in parking lots outside of businesses. Other kiosks exist within businesses (e.g., grocery stores), but our study did not examine these types of kiosks. If there is a kiosk in your community that you would like information about, please contact the kiosk owner or reach out to us using the information included in the "Contact" section at the bottom of this page.

Lead was found in sampled water from certain kiosks and not found in adjacent tap water samples. The lead originates from the “lead free” plumbing components within the kiosk machines. The small amount of lead present in these parts can result in lead leaching into the drinking water dispensed by a kiosk when these parts are placed after RO treatment.

Not necessarily. Our study does not examine every kiosk. Our research demonstrates that the quality of drinking water sold by kiosks is highly variable. We most frequently detected lead in drinking water sold by kiosks using reverse osmosis (RO) technology. If you have been purchasing water from a kiosk that is not included in our study, and you want to learn more about the quality of drinking water sold at that location, contact the kiosk owner.  

Not necessarily. Our testing in Iowa and other states indicates that some kiosks have higher levels of lead in the water they dispense than in nearby tap water. 

Drinking water samples were collected from all known kiosks in Iowa, along with adjacent tap water source samples. The samples were tested across a wide range of water quality parameters. According to testing results, kiosks provide drinking water that is significantly different from tap water along a variety of dimensions. Kiosk samples varied in quality, indicating a lack of consistency in selling high-quality water as advertised. Researchers found similar results in nearby states.

If you are concerned about lead in your tap water, contact your local water utility. Many utilities and states have lead testing programs that will assess your water free of charge. You can also ask your water utility if you have a lead service line. 

If you are in the state of Iowa, you can reach out to Get the Lead Out for a free water testing kit: 

Get the Lead Out  

For more information about what to do if you are concerned about lead in your tap water:

lead in drinking water 

• If you have been drinking water from a kiosk and are concerned about potential lead exposure, contact your health care provider, local Public Health Department, or Environmental Health Department for more information.
• We recommend purchasing drinking water from sources that are more regulated, such as tap water or bottled water. Tap water is heavily regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act. If you have concerns about your local tap water quality, reach out to your local water utility. Bottled water is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, which sets the maximum allowable limit of lead to 5 ppb.

It is unclear how kiosks are regulated in Iowa. Due to the ambiguity in regulation, there is no known monitoring or testing of kiosk water at this time. Kiosk companies do not advertise or make consistent water testing information available to the public.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates drinking water under the Safe Drinking Water Act. The EPA requires all community water systems to prepare and deliver an annual water quality report called a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) for their customers.

Find your CCR

There is no safe level of exposure to lead.

In 2024, the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements were finalized, which lowered the EPA action level from 15 ppb to 10 ppb. If water systems exceed this level, they must:

• Take further steps to optimize their corrosion control treatment
• Educate the public about lead in drinking water and actions consumers can take to reduce their exposure to lead
• Replace the portions of lead service lines under the water system’s control

Drinking water regulations 

Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR)

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach:

Drinking Water Quality in Iowa