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Iowans call on state legislature to support funding of water quality monitors

on Fri, 02/20/2026 - 21:53   by Anonymous

by Cami Koons, Iowa Capital Dispatch
February 19, 2026

Amanda Winkelmann held up a baby bottle filled with tap water as she spoke at the Iowa Capitol Thursday about the need for greater attention to Iowa’s water quality.

“If we could see it,” Winkelmann said and used a paintbrush to put a drop of pink paint into the water. “Would we solve it?” 

Winkelmann, who lives in Des Moines, said she and her husband choose to refill water jugs with filtered water due to their concerns about drinking tap water that has consistently high nitrate concentrations.

She was one of more than 150 Iowans gathered in the Iowa Capitol Rotunda Thursday afternoon urging lawmakers to support bills that would improve Iowa’s rivers, lakes, streams and drinking water. 

Iowa House Democrats water quality proposal

on Fri, 01/23/2026 - 20:08   by Anonymous

by Robin Opsahl, Iowa Capital Dispatch
January 22, 2026

Iowa House Democrats released a proposal Thursday aimed at improving the quality of Iowa’s drinking water and waterways through increased monitoring and more incentives for farmers and landowners to implement best practices.

Water quality has been a major topic in the state among environmental advocates for years, who have warned about the impacts of farm runoff and chemicals like PFAS in the state’s water. But these concerns have been further elevated in the past year as central Iowa faced elevated nitrate levels in the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers in 2025.

Iowa DNR to hold public hearings in September for triennial water quality standards review 

on Wed, 08/27/2025 - 20:43   by Anonymous

by Cami Koons, Iowa Capital Dispatch
August 27, 2025

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will hold two public hearings in September for a review of water quality standards, as required every three years by federal regulations. 

Per the hearing agenda, DNR plans to discuss water quality standards as they relate to antidegradation, human health criteria, per and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, lake nutrients and rights reserved for tribal nations. 

Environmental council analysis shows Iowa nutrient reduction strategy a very slow road to nowhere

on Wed, 07/17/2019 - 05:43   by news

Big ag groups like the Iowa Farm Bureau along with Iowa Republicans like to tout the state's Nutrient Reduction Strategy (NRS) as the path forward to reduce pollution of state streams and rivers from farm runoff.

A new Iowa Environmental Council (IEC) report issued Tuesday (July 16) paints the NRS as a very slow road to nowhere.

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