Chlorinated water from a main break leaked into McLoud Run trout stream in Cedar Rapids. (Photo courtesy of Iowa DNR)
Unofficial numbers from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources show about 1,250 fish were killed as the result of a water main break in Cedar Rapids that discharged chlorinated water into McLoud Run stream.
The break occurred Monday morning and drained from 32nd Street into Iowa’s only urban trout stream.
City officials worked to isolate the break and dispensed dechlorination tablets to the leaked drinking water to minimize the impact on the stream.
Chlorine is commonly used to disinfect municipal water. It’s safe for human consumption, but can be fatal to the sensitive fish species in the stream.
Andrea Errthum, a DNR environmental specialist who investigated the event, said the city responded very quickly to mitigate the break.
“They were really on top of it,” Errthum said.
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