By Joe Moore
URGENT WATER QUALITY ALERT FOR DES MOINES METRO
Iowa's Central Iowa Water Works has just issued its first-ever mandatory lawn watering ban for over 600,000 residents in the Des Moines metro area. This is a direct response to near-record nitrate levels in the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers, which supply drinking water for over half a million people.
According to the AP, nitrate concentrations have approached 9 mg/L, perilously close to the 10 mg/L EPA safety limit. These elevated levels, primarily from agricultural runoff of fertilizer and manure, pose serious risks, especially for pregnant women and infants under six months. Treatment at the nitrate removal plant has been running at full capacity for 55 days, costing $14,000 to $16,000 per day.
The Big Picture: Water Quality & Sediment Control
Nonpoint source pollution, particularly agricultural runoff, is a major culprit. Fertilizer and manure wash into waterways, raising nitrate levels and contributing to sediment buildup.
Excess sediment in water bodies worsens turbidity, hampers aquatic ecosystems, and strains water treatment systems. Proactive sediment control (like cover cropping, riparian buffers, and reduced tillage) can ease the burden.
Relying on treatment alone is costly and unsustainable. The long-term solution lies in watershed-scale preventative practices, not just more filtration. Community-wide conservation matters. With lawn watering accounting for around 40% of summertime demand, temporary bans buy critical time, but real change comes from upstream management.
A Call to Action
- For agricultural stakeholders: Now is the moment to scale up nutrient management plans and erosion control measures, whether it’s riparian buffers, smarter fertilizer timing, or no-till farming.
- For municipal and regional leaders: Consider incentives, regulations, or collaborative watershed programs that support sustainable farming practices.
- For consumers and community members: Advocate for investment in resilience, both in treatment and prevention.
Continuing to pay hundreds of thousands per week to treat what is preventable at the source is NOT sustainable. This moment should galvanize us toward holistic water stewardship that integrates water quality, sediment control, and cost-effective community health protection.
Read more: Drinking Water in Des Moines Is Nearing Danger Levels – Click Here
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