Iowa lawsuit called 'abrasive'

Sunday, October 4, 2015

Next August, a U.S. District Court judge expects to hear the case of Des Moines Water Works suing three northwest Iowa counties for failing to keep nitrates out of the water the citizens drink. The case in Sioux City is expected to take two weeks.

According to the Des Moines Register, Water Works, which supplies drinking water to Des Moines residents, said it had no choice. Readings in the Raccoon River regularly read six times greater than the federal limit of 10 milligrams per liter of drinking water and Water Works activated its nitrate removal system for 74 days in 2013, at a cost of $4,000 a day.

This year, after planting season, the removal plant ran for 150 days, the longest time ever.

A spokesman for the Iowa Farm Bureau called the lawsuit "abrasive" and "unIowan."

Bill Stowe, CEO of Water Works, said there was no hope that "co-operation" would solve this situation as there was already a nitrogen reduction strategy in place.

The utility isn't looking for money; it seeks federal oversight of the drainage districts and, indirectly, farmers under the Clean Water Act.

Nitrates in water are linked to so-called "blue baby syndrome," which can lead to abnormal hearts that can't pump enough oxygen. Local politicians and business leaders expressed concerns about a growing rural-urban divide that will become wider because of this court case. Frustrated farmers say Water Works never gave abatement plans a chance. Does that sound familiar? BF