Iowa’s largest water utility may soon file a lawsuit challenging the state’s voluntary approach to dealing with farm fertilizer run-off. Bill Stowe is C-E-O and General Manager of the Des Moines Water Works.
The Des Moines Water Works gets the water for its quarter of a million customers from the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers and nitrate levels have been at unacceptable levels in both rivers since September. That has forced additional treatment of the water to make it safe to drink — an extra cost for Stowe’s customers.
Stowe argues polluters should be held accountable, whether they’re in the city or the country.
The Des Moines Water Works board of directors is scheduled to meet Thursday and a decision about legal action against the state could be made at that meeting. Three of the state’s agricultural groups formed a new alliance this summer, hoping to address growing public concern about water quality issues. The groups are seeking more public and private financing for farmers who build earthen barriers or plant buffer strips to keep fertilizer from running off into waterways. The group also hopes to “dramatically accelerate” farmers’ voluntary efforts to reduce run-off.
