Voluntary action will not clean up Iowa waterways, so the state Legislature must “create bold laws that address water pollution,” said Bill Stowe, chief executive of the Des Moines Water Works. The utility’s board of trustees decided to seek a legislative solution to high nitrate levels in the Raccoon River rather than appeal the dismissal of their lawsuit against drainage districts in three counties in northwestern Iowa.
The Water Works filed suit two years ago in hopes of a precedent-setting ruling that the drainage districts were “point” sources of pollution and obliged under federal law to control farm runoff. In dismissing the suit, U.S. district judge Leonard Strand, in Sioux City, said it was the Legislature’s prerogative to deal with water quality issues. The Water Works draws water from the Raccoon River for its customers and said it spent $1.2 million in 2015 to remove excessive amounts of nitrate.
The state has a voluntary plan for reducing nutrient runoff. Stowe said “the old, business as usual…approach will never result in the 45 percent nitrogen reduction” in runoff.
The board of trustees agreed unanimously not to appeal, said the Des Moines Register. “The decision not to appeal the judge’s ruling comes as a controversial bill to dismantle Des Moines Water Works appears likely to die in the Iowa Legislature.”