Independent measurement · KnightByrd Tech LLC
Des Moines Water Works
ciww.gov · Des Moines · IA · City · population 213,096
| Critical | 0 |
| Serious | 4 |
| Moderate | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| Distinct checks failed | 2 |
What it runs on
The site served a page identifying WordPress. That matters more than it sounds: across the whole survey, failure tracks the platform far more closely than it tracks the size of the government. A defect in a shared template is not something one town can fix alone — and it is not something one town caused.
What was found
- Elements must meet minimum color contrast ratio thresholds — 3 instances (serious)
- Links must be distinguishable without relying on color — 1 instance (serious)
Most of these are fixable without redesigning anything: colour contrast, missing labels, links with no discernible text.
The deadline that applies here
26 April 2027 — public entities with a total population of 50,000 or more.
The Interim Final Rule of 20 April 2026 split the ADA Title II compliance date in two. Remediation, document cleanup and vendor contracts routinely run 12 to 18 months.
What this does not show
- Homepage only. One page was tested. This site may pass its homepage and fail everywhere behind it.
- Automated only. Automated testing catches roughly a third of real accessibility problems. It cannot judge whether alt text is meaningful, whether a form works with a screen reader, or whether a keyboard user can escape a menu. Passing every automated check is not compliance.
- This is a floor, not a verdict, and not a legal opinion.
Scanned 2026-09-10. If this is wrong, say so and it will be re-run — corrections are welcome and cost nothing. davidat@knightbyrd.com
If you work for this government: the full detail of what was found here is yours free, on request. No conditions, nothing to buy.
Part of an independent scan of every US local government website. No vendor commissioned or paid for it.