On Monday morning, Aug. 11, 2025, I tested the nitrate level of the Raccoon River at the Perry Boat Ramp. The reading was 16 parts per million (PPM).
For safe drinking water, the Central Iowa Waterworks must reduce the nitrate level to at most 10 PPM although many scientists say that even this level is too high and that amounts below 10 ppm may have long-term health effects.
On the news Monday evening, I was shocked to hear that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has removed the Raccoon River from the Impaired Waters List. No reasons or data for the river’s removal from the list were given…