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Iowa ag secretary reacts to water lawsuit

The Des Moines Water Works has filed a lawsuit against 10 drainage districts in three northwest Iowa Counties. While Iowa Ag Secretary Bill Northey says he understands the challenges the Water Works is facing, he thinks they are going about it the wrong way.  Northey says he fears the lawsuit would be very expensive and lead to regulation, not a solution.  Northey has championed a voluntary nutrient reduction strategy using practices like cover crops and bio-reactors.

Northey says the lawsuit could lead to the regulation of every drainage district in Iowa, “It would probably take you down the road into every other characteristic of water.  From phosphorus to other characteristics out there, which I think our storm sewers and our cities would have trouble complying with.”

According to Northey, it’s not just about the Des Moines Water Works and these three counties.  It really is about a precedent on how water is dealt with nationally according to the Clean Water Act.

 

Dennis Morrice-KLEM, Le Mars, Iowa contributed to this story