An Iowa State Representative says managers of the Des Moines Water Works have insulted “every family farmer in northwest Iowa” by threatening to sue three counties over nitrate pollution in the Raccoon River. The utility has given notice it will file a lawsuit against county supervisors in Calhoun, Buena Vista and Sac Counties, charging they’ve failed to properly manage drainage districts in their area. Two of the three counties are represented in the Iowa House by Republican Gary Worthan, a farmer from Storm Lake.

Worthen’s use of the word “stow” is a reference to Bill Stowe (STOH), the C-E-O and general manager of the Des Moines Water Works. Stowe has been arguing that the voluntary approach to ensuring the nitrogen fertilizer farmers apply to their fields doesn’t wind up in the water supply is not working and it’s time to pursue legal action. Worthen says farmers want the nitrates and phosphorus they apply to stay on the field and Stowe would be better off trying to work with farmers to find solutions rather than sue.

The water utility has been seeing record nitrate levels in each of the past four months and alleges that drainage districts in the three northwest Iowa counties are violating the federal Clean Water Act.