ALL LAWN WATERING RESTRICTIONS ARE NOW LIFTED. CENTRAL IOWA WATER WORKS MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT THIS MORNING. THAT MEANS YOU CAN NOW WATER YOUR LAWN WHENEVER AND FOR AS LONG AS YOU’D LIKE. THE LAWN WATERING BAN WAS PUT IN PLACE BACK IN JUNE. THE RESTRICTION WAS DUE TO ELEVATED NITRATE LEVELS IN DRINKING WATER SOURCES. vlog TOLD YOU IT WAS IN RESPONSE TO ELEVATED NITRATE LEVELS IN THE WATER SOURCES USED FOR DRINKING WATER. TREATED WATER HAS MET EPA STAN
Central Iowa Water Works lifts lawn-watering restrictions
![vlog logo]()
Updated: 1:07 PM CDT Aug 15, 2025
Editorial Standards ⓘ
Central Iowans may resume watering their lawns with no restrictions.Central Iowa Water Works’ technical committee members have voted unanimously to resume normal irrigation and lawn watering practices for the first time since May 30, 2025, according to a news release. Video above: 'What's in the water?': Event on Polk County watershed report draws hundredsIt was at that point, due to high nitrate levels in source waters that threatened push nitrate concentrations in treated drinking water above the U.S. Environment Protection Agency’s standard of 10 mg/L, that officials asked the 600,000 residential and commercial customers served by the regional water authority to voluntarily reduce water usage by 25%. They asked for a 50% reduction on June 11 before putting the temporary ban in effect on June 12. Officials loosened the restrictions in July and now, effective Friday, Aug. 15, it's been fully lifted.“The technical committee has continued to diligently review the source water quality as well as forecasted precipitation and expected water demand,” said Tami Madsen, executive director of CIWW. “The committee remains confident that the CIWW system can accommodate increased demand while complying with all safe drinking water standards, and we’re moving forward.” Central Iowa Water Works nitrate removal facility has operated for 112 days so far this yearCentral Iowa Water Works says its nitrate removal facility was shut down Friday, Aug. 8, after running at partial or full capacity since April 28.The facility runs when drinking water sources for Central Iowa Water Works reach high nitrate levels. The plant helps to keep nitrates in drinking water at the EPA standard of 10 milligrams per liter.The plant was first turned on from April 10 to 18.In 2015, the facility ran for 177 days.
DES MOINES, Iowa — Central Iowans may resume watering their lawns with no restrictions.
Central Iowa Water Works’ technical committee members have voted unanimously to resume normal irrigation and lawn watering practices for the first time since May 30, 2025, according to a news release.
Video above: 'What's in the water?': Event on Polk County watershed report draws hundreds
It was at that point, due to high nitrate levels in source waters that threatened push nitrate concentrations in treated drinking water above the U.S. Environment Protection Agency’s standard of 10 mg/L, that officials asked the 600,000 residential and commercial customers served by the regional water authority to voluntarily reduce water usage by 25%. They asked for a 50% reduction on June 11 before putting the temporary ban in effect on June 12.
Officials loosened the restrictions in July and now, effective Friday, Aug. 15, it's been fully lifted.
“The technical committee has continued to diligently review the source water quality as well as forecasted precipitation and expected water demand,” said Tami Madsen, executive director of CIWW. “The committee remains confident that the CIWW system can accommodate increased demand while complying with all safe drinking water standards, and we’re moving forward.”
Central Iowa Water Works nitrate removal facility has operated for 112 days so far this year
Central Iowa Water Works says its nitrate removal facility was shut down Friday, Aug. 8, after running at partial or full capacity since April 28.
The facility runs when drinking water sources for Central Iowa Water Works reach high nitrate levels. The plant helps to keep nitrates in drinking water at the EPA standard of 10 milligrams per liter.
The plant was first turned on from April 10 to 18.
In 2015, the facility ran for 177 days.
