Des Moines property owners may be fined if caught watering their lawns, according to a recent ABC News report.
In June, the Central Iowa Water Works water utility company issued a water ban in the Des Moines metro area for unnecessary water use due to high levels of nitrates in local rivers. The high concentration of nitrates has compromised the company’s ability to effectively keep up with water treatment compared to public water demand.
According to ABC News, local rivers like the Des Moines and the Raccoon Rivers in central Iowa had near-record levels of nitrates in the water. These chemical compounds are essential nutrients for aquatic plants, per the Environmental Protection Agency, but a high concentration in water degrades the water quality and can cause harm to aquatic life and humans — particularly infants under six months — if not adequately filtered out…