drinking water

The EPA is proposing to clean up groundwater contamination at a superfund site in Des Moines.

Water utilities in Iowa and across the country would be required to monitor their treated drinking water for six “forever chemicals" under a proposal from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

And as a distracted driving bill is considered at the statehouse, an Iowa medical student recounts almost losing his life to a distracted driver.

About half of Iowa's waterways — its thousands of streams, lakes, reservoirs and wetlands — are considered impaired according to an Iowa DNR report. We’ll discuss the findings in this report and potential solutions to improve water quality in the state with three experts from the University of Iowa.

Researchers say even a small amount of the toxin can harm kids’ development. One 2021 study found Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri had some of the highest rates of elevated blood lead levels in children.

Health officials say there is no safe level for exposure among children of any age.

Host Charity Nebbe talks about the benefits of rain gardens with urban conservationist Jennifer Welch

West Des Moines is the latest city water system to join agree to negotiations that could create a regional drinking water utility in central Iowa.

There are concerning levels of contamination in public water systems across Iowa, according to an environmental group that sets its own health standards. More than 700 hundred utilities in Iowa had levels of certain contaminants above health guidelines set by the Environmental Working Group, which are not legally enforceable.

Even as the Iowa Department of the Natural Resources begins testing for “forever chemicals” in more than 50 public water systems across the state, the agency currently has no plans to test private wells. An estimated 10 percent of Iowans get their water from private wells, which are largely unregulated.