DES MOINES, Iowa – Recent rainfall may be helping lawns turn green across Iowa, but water experts say the wet weather has also worsened nitrate levels in rivers that supply central Iowa’s drinking water.
This week, Central Iowa Water Works issued another lawn watering ban after nitrate levels in source water reached record highs.
On Wednesday, nitrate levels in the Raccoon River measured more than 13 mg/L, while the Des Moines River measured above 11 mg/L. The Environmental Protection Agency drinking water standard is 10 mg/L…