drinking water

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is two years into a three-year study testing the state's public water supply systems for manganese, a metal that can contaminate drinking water. So far, it has found concentrations of manganese above an EPA advisory in 26 public water systems.

The Iowa tornado outbreak didn't result in any fatalities or serious injuries. On this edition of River to River, a harrowing story from one Lake City resident who was in the twister's path.

Iowans were advised against swimming at seven public beaches over the Fourth of July holiday weekend due to elevated E. coli levels and toxic algae blooms. Lake Darling State Park in Washington County is the only beach in the state so far this summer to have both advisories in place.

It could take thousands of years to meet some of Iowa’s nutrient reduction goals if conservation efforts continue at current rates. That’s according to a recent analysis of the state’s Nutrient Reduction Strategy by the Iowa Environmental Council.

A newly-published analysis has found that Iowa communities whose drinking water is contaminated with nitrate are more likely to be lower income. The study by the Environmental Working Group found that among the areas with the highest rates of nitrate pollution, 85 percent are considered lower income.

An estimated 20,000 Iowans are now under voluntary or mandatory water restrictions due to drought conditions. It’s adding more strain on rural utilities that have long struggled to provide safe drinking water because of agricultural pollution.

Iowa’s cities have scored a decisive victory in a long-running legal battle between urban and rural interests over the delivery of water to undeveloped areas of the state.

The Des Moines Water Works is exploring a plan to build a set of alluvial groundwater wells as a way to lessen its reliance on the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers, which have been polluted with agricultural runoff for years. The $30 million plan would represent a philosophical shift for the utility.

The Lower Missouri and Raccoon Rivers are among the top 10 most endangered in the country this year, according to a national advocacy group. The organization American Rivers is calling for concerted action at all levels of government in order to what it describes as threats to public health and safety and biological diversity.

The Iowa DNR plans to test the water at more than 50 locations across the state for the substances known as forever chemicals. The class of compounds collectively called PFAS has been linked to an increased risk for a number of health concerns, including certain cancers, developmental and fertility issues, as well as kidney and liver complications.