The Central Iowa Water Works started running part of its nitrate removal facility last week for the first time in January in more than a decade.
University of Iowa director of Hydroscience & Engineering, Larry Weber, says they monitor waterways across the state and this problem is not unique to the Des Moines facility. “So as we’re monitoring rivers and streams throughout Iowa, we’re seeing unseasonably high concentrations,” he says.
Sensors in the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers that are water sources for central Iowa have measured nitrate levels at or above the EPA’s threshold of 10 milligrams per liter. “Some of those that are monitoring either at small watersheds or directly for tile line discharges, those are in the 15 to 20, or perhaps slightly above 20 milligrams per liter,” Weber says…