Residents of Norwalk, Cumming, and users of Warren Rural Water District are currently banned from watering their lawns due to rising nitrate levels in the water as announced Thursday afternoon in a joint press conference by Polk County Emergency Management, Central Iowa Water Works, and Polk County Public Health.
Water from the Des Moines River and Raccoon River is currently safe to drink for all, however at the current rate of water consumption for those using Central Iowa Water Works and their partner agencies, nitrate levels will violate the standard set by the EPA, and if the standard is violated pregnant women and children under the age of six months should not drink water.
The lawn watering ban will be enforced by the individual partner agencies, with fines or possible water shutoff if watering continues.
Central Iowa Water Works Executive Director Tami Madsen said during the press conference water is safe to drink.
“We are not violating any safe drinking water standards, your water is safe to drink, you do not need to run out and buy bottled water. If we work through this together, we can get to the other side without any kind of violation of the Safe Water Drinking Standards Act. But we need you to stop watering your lawn, and do things that will help us conserve water.”
Polk County Public Health said at the conference water is safe to drink, and is asking residents to not boil the water from the tap as it can concentrate the nitrates in the water and make it more dangerous to consume. The ban is the first of its kind in Central Iowa Water Works history.
The ban currently effects all CIWW member agencies, including:
Ankeny
Clive
Des Moines Water Works
Clive
Johnston
Grimes
Norwalk
Polk City
Urbandale Water Utility
Warren Rural Water District
Waukee
West Des Moines Water Works
Communities served by Des Moines Water Works:
Alleman
Urwick
Cumming
Bondurant
Pleasant Hill
Runnells
Unincorporated Polk County
Windsor Heights
Listen to the full press conference below.
