Farmers and ag retailers across Iowa and many other states are keeping an eye on the Des Moines Water Works (DMWW) lawsuit against three local counties. The lawsuit is a result of what DMWW claims are excessive nitrate levels in the Raccoon River, which provides 500,000 Des Moines residents with water.

 

“The safe drinking water act says more than 10 mg of nitrates per liter is a human health risk and rivers are at 14,” says Bill Stowe, CEO of DMWW. “Our denitrification system was built on assumptions of lower nitrates. If we keep seeing levels this high we’ll have to invest $80 million in new denitrification technologies.”

 

DMWW claims nitrates are a result of nutrient runoff from naked fields, tile lines and other nutrient mismanagement from row-crop farmers.

 

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