Central Iowa Water Works has enacted a mandatory lawn watering ban across its service area, citing elevated nitrate levels in source waters. This decision comes as a response to the regional water treatment facilities' struggle to manage the high nitrate concentrations in rivers and other water sources. The CIWW Board of Trustees initiated Stage III of its Water Use Plan, requiring residential, commercial, and government customers to halt most outdoor watering to preserve drinking water supplies for over 600,000 residents.
The ban is a critical measure to protect the water system's treatment capacity, which is already at its limits. CIWW Executive Director Tami Madsen emphasized the urgency, stating that the system is using all available tools to maintain safe drinking water and that customer cooperation is essential to reducing demand and maintaining standards. The utility is relying on its Nitrate Removal Facility, the Maffitt Reservoir, and Aquifer Storage and Recovery wells to manage elevated nitrate levels.
Under the restrictions, lawn watering is prohibited for most homeowners, businesses, and government agencies, except for newly installed sod or seed planted during the current growing season, and even then, only the minimum amount necessary for establishment is allowed. Sports fields and golf courses may continue limited irrigation to maintain safety and preserve turf, but decorative water features must be turned off.
CIWW is also urging residents to conserve water indoors by adopting practices such as running dishwashers and washing machines only when full, repairing leaks, and postponing nonessential water-intensive activities. The utility did not specify the duration of the ban, indicating that conditions will be monitored as treatment facilities manage nitrate levels and water demand.
This is the second consecutive summer where CIWW has implemented a mandatory lawn watering ban, highlighting the ongoing challenges in managing water resources in the region. The utility's efforts to address elevated nitrate levels and ensure safe drinking water for its customers are crucial, especially with the growing body of research linking nitrate exposure to long-term health effects.
