STARTS NOW. CENTRAL IOWA’S LAWN WATERING BAN COULD LAST UNTIL THE JULY 4TH HOLIDAY. IT ALL DEPENDS ON THE WEATHER TODAY. WATERWORKS MANAGERS FROM THE METRO SAY WATER CONSERVATION IS HELPING, BUT THE NITRATE PROBLEM CONTINUES. AND THAT PROBLEM IS AFFECTING THE COMMUNITIES YOU SEE HERE ON YOUR SCREEN. vlog SENIOR REPORTER TODD MAGEL IS LIVE IN WEST DES MOINES, WHERE THEY HELD A NEWS CONFERENCE THIS AFTERNOON. TODD. STACY AND BEN, WATERWORKS LEADERS FROM AROUND THE METRO, MET HERE AT THE MID-AMERICA METRO. RATHER, THE REC PLEX TO TALK ABOUT WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE WATER SITUATION. FIRST, I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE BEEN CONSERVING WATER FOR THE PAST FIVE DAYS HERE IN DES MOINES, METRO WATER USAGE HAS BEEN CUT BY A WHOPPING 30%. HERE IN THE DES MOINES AREA SINCE THE LAWN WATERING BAN WENT INTO EFFECT. BUT THE NITRATE LEVELS IN OUR DRINKING WATER SOURCES ARE STILL TOO HIGH. AND THAT MEANS DES MOINES WATER NITRATE REMOVAL SYSTEM IS WORKING OVERTIME NOW, AND IT MEANS WATERING LAWNS WILL BE PROHIBITED FOR WEEKS TO COME. NOW, THE WEATHER IS PART OF THE PROBLEM. RAIN NORTH OF THE METRO OVER THE RACCOON RIVER AND THE DES MOINES RIVER IS WASHING. FARM FIELD NITROGEN INTO RIVER WATER. AND THOSE NITRATES THEN HAVE TO BE REMOVED WHEN THEIR LEVEL GETS TOO HIGH. SO THIS, AS WE SAID EARLIER, IS GOING TO BE MEASURED IN WEEKS, NOT IN DAYS. IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE WEATHER. THE NITRATE LEVELS IN THE RIVER. THERE ARE LOTS OF CONFOUNDING FACTORS HERE, SO JUST STAY TUNED ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA. WE’LL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE UPDATES THERE. AND THEN OF COURSE WE’LL REACH OUT TO ALL OF YOU IF THERE’S ANY UPDATE THAT NEEDS TO BE PROVIDED. WATERWORKS OFFICIALS ARE RELUCTANT TO GIVE A DATE THAT THE LAWN WATERING CAN RESUME, BUT WE ASKED AND THEY SAY JULY 4TH IS THEIR GOAL BECAUSE IN JULY IT GETS WARMER AND IT GETS DRIER. AND THAT WOULD CLEAR UP SOME OF THE NITRATE PROBLEMS. BUT REALLY, IT ALL DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH MORE RAIN WE GET HERE OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. SO THAT IS THE THING THAT WILL MAKE THE DIFFERENCE. WE’RE LIVE IN WEST DES MOINES. TODD MAGEL, vlog EIGHT NEWS. IOWA’S NEWS LEADER. YEAH, CERTAINLY HOPING IT’S SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. TODD THANK YOU. SINCE THE LAWN WATERING BAN TOOK EFFECT, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT WHO IS USING THE MOST WATER. ACCORDING TO WEST DES MOINES WATER WORKS, THE MAJORITY OF ITS TOP 20 WATER USERS LAST MONTH WERE REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANIES. AT THE VERY TOP OF THE LIST WAS R&R REALTY GROUP, WHICH USED MORE THAN 4.6 MILLION GALLONS. GENERAL GROWTH PROPERTIES FOLLOWED WITH MORE THAN 4 MILLION, FOLLOWED BY BELCHER AND LAWN CORP USING UP 2.7 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER. THE CITY ITSELF IS FOURTH ON THE LIST. DES MOINES WATER WORKS ACTUALLY SUED THE SUPERVISORS IN THREE NORTHWEST IOWA COUNTIES OVER NITRATES BACK IN 2015. THE UTILITY CLAIMED BUENA VISTA, CALHOUN AND SAC COUNTIES ALL UPSTREAM ALONG THE RACCOON RIVER, WERE VIOLATING FEDERAL LAW BY RUNNING DRAINAGE SYSTEMS THAT LEAD TO HIGH NITRATE LEVELS IN THE RACCOON, WHICH WATERWORKS USES TO SOURCE WATER. THE COUNTIES ARGUED AGAINST THE SUIT. DES MOINES WATER WORKS WANTED $1.4 MILLION FOR THE MONEY IT SPENT FOR INCREASED FILTRATION. IT ALSO WANTED THOSE COUNTIES TO BE REQUIRED TO GET FEDERAL WATER POLLUTION DISCHARGE PERMITS. IN 2017, A FEDERAL JUDGE DISMISSED THE LAWSUIT, SAYING THE IOWA LEGISLATURE IS THE APPROPRIATE BODY TO ADDRESS THE STATE’S WATER QUALITY ISSUES. vlog TOOK A DEEPER DIVE INTO WHY NITRATE LEVELS ARE SO HIGH IN IOWA’S WATER RIGHT NOW. YOU CAN FIND THAT FULL STORY AND ALL OF OUR COVERAGE ON THIS ONGOING WATER SITUATION ONLINE
Lawn watering ban still in place for more than 600,000 central Iowans; water usage drops by 30%
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Updated: 6:25 PM CDT Jun 17, 2025
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Central Iowa officials provided updates about nitrate concentration levels, water conservation efforts — including a ban on lawn watering — and more Tuesday afternoon in a news conference at MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex in West Des Moines. Speakers included:Tami Madsen, Central Iowa Water Works executive director, who said that the ban is still in place. But also said, "I am pleased to report that we have seen tremendous cooperation and you have answered the call — demand has decreased." Usage across CIWW has dropped by 30% since the ban was imposed five days ago.Ted Corrigan, Des Moines Water Works CEO and general manager, who said, "more than 90% of the nitrate that we see in our source waters is from fertilizer that is applied to row crop fields (that) then ultimately finds its way into the surface water rivers and streams here in central Iowa."Christina Murphy, West Des Moines Water Works general manager, who said, "we are adding treatment capacity in a number of places," to help avoid this situation in the future. That includes a plan to double treatment capacity at the Saylorville treatment plant and a new 12 million gallon per day treatment plant being built on the west side of the metro, along with expanded capacity elsewhere in the metro and construction of several aquifer storage and recovery wells.Local officials on Thursday warned the 600,000 residential and commercial customers Central Iowa Water Works serves that near-record levels of pollutants in its rivers could make drinking water dangerous if immediate steps are not taken to reduce demand, including a ban on lawn watering.The water works' nitrate removal facility has been running since April 28. Recent tests of water sources show nitrate levels are close to surpassing the allowable amount. Federal regulations require a maximum nitrate level of 10 milligrams per liter.As of Monday, nitrate concentration levels in the Des Moines River was 15.6 mg/L and the Raccoon River is at 15.3 mg/L. Levels Monday in finished water were 3.49 mg/L at the Saylorville plant, 7.70 mg/L at the Fleur plant and 8.14 at the McMullen plant, according to dmww.com. The standard was set in the 1990s because of what is known as "blue baby syndrome." Corrigan on Tuesday said current nitrate levels in drinking water are still "very high," but also "well within the range set by the federal government. ... That is entirely due to the fact that the community has responded so well to our request to not water the grass. Without that, we would've violated the nitrate standard."Madsen opened her time in the news conference by explaining the current conditions: "We are dealing with a source water quality issue. This is not a water quantity issue."Corrigan said there's been just one other year (2013) that nitrate concentrations in both the Raccoon and Des Moines rivers were higher than they are this year."Why?" Corrigan asked. "In our experience, we see very high nitrate concentrations when we have average precipitation following dry periods. We had an extended period of drought in 2020 through 2023 ... this spring we're seeing average or normal precipitation patterns. Those two things combined provide very high nitrates in our source waters."As for how long the lawn watering ban will continue, Corrigan said it'll likely be "measured in weeks not days." Officials said they're hoping to have it lifted by July 4, at which point most nitrates have normally dissipated due to hot and dry conditions."We're five days in ... we're in a good position because of the very positive response we've had from the community. We're going to need your continued support."WATCH: Central Iowa Water Works executive director: 'Source water quality issue ... not a water quantity issue' Recent coverage of central Iowa water issuesCentral Iowa officials ban lawn watering to avoid potential 'water crisis'What are nitrates in drinking water and why Iowa officials are watching closelyLIST: Which Iowans are included in the ban on lawn watering?Des Moines shuts down spraygrounds as central Iowa cities work to conserve waterClive residents respond to lawn watering ban amid high nitrate levelsCentral Iowa landscaping businesses adapt to lawn watering banFULL NEWS CONFERENCE: Officials give updates on central Iowa water conservation efforts, nitrate levelsWho is banned from watering their lawns?The ban affects all CIWW member agencies, including:City of AnkenyCity of CliveDes Moines Water Works and communities served by Des Moines Water Works (Alleman, Berwick, Bondurant, Cumming, Pleasant Hill, Runnells, unincorporated Polk County and Windsor Heights)City of GrimesCity of JohnstonCity of NorwalkCity of Polk CityUrbandale Water UtilityWarren Rural Water DistrictCity of WaukeeWest Des Moines Water WorksXenia Rural WaterWATCH: West Des Moines Water Works general manager talks about future plans for nitrate treatmentWATCH: Clive residents respond to lawn watering ban amid high nitrate levelsWATCH: 'What is nitrate and where does it come from?': Des Moines Water Works CEO explains
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — Central Iowa officials provided updates about nitrate concentration levels, water conservation efforts — including a ban on lawn watering — and more Tuesday afternoon in a news conference at MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex in West Des Moines.
Speakers included:
- Tami Madsen, Central Iowa Water Works executive director, who said that the ban is still in place. But also said, "I am pleased to report that we have seen tremendous cooperation and you have answered the call — demand has decreased." Usage across CIWW has dropped by 30% since the ban was imposed five days ago.
- Ted Corrigan, Des Moines Water Works CEO and general manager, who said, "more than 90% of the nitrate that we see in our source waters is from fertilizer that is applied to row crop fields (that) then ultimately finds its way into the surface water rivers and streams here in central Iowa."
- Christina Murphy, West Des Moines Water Works general manager, who said, "we are adding treatment capacity in a number of places," to help avoid this situation in the future. That includes a plan to double treatment capacity at the Saylorville treatment plant and a new 12 million gallon per day treatment plant being built on the west side of the metro, along with expanded capacity elsewhere in the metro and construction of several aquifer storage and recovery wells.
Local officials on Thursday warned the 600,000 residential and commercial customers Central Iowa Water Works serves that near-record levels of pollutants in its rivers could make drinking water dangerous if immediate steps are not taken to reduce demand, including a ban on lawn watering.
The water works' nitrate removal facility has been running since April 28. Recent tests of water sources show nitrate levels are close to surpassing the allowable amount.
Federal regulations require a maximum nitrate level of 10 milligrams per liter.
As of Monday, nitrate concentration levels in the Des Moines River was 15.6 mg/L and the Raccoon River is at 15.3 mg/L. Levels Monday in finished water were 3.49 mg/L at the Saylorville plant, 7.70 mg/L at the Fleur plant and 8.14 at the McMullen plant, . The standard was set in the 1990s because of what is known as "blue baby syndrome."
Corrigan on Tuesday said current nitrate levels in drinking water are still "very high," but also "well within the range set by the federal government. ... That is entirely due to the fact that the community has responded so well to our request to not water the grass. Without that, we would've violated the nitrate standard."
Madsen opened her time in the news conference by explaining the current conditions: "We are dealing with a source water quality issue. This is not a water quantity issue."
Corrigan said there's been just one other year (2013) that nitrate concentrations in both the Raccoon and Des Moines rivers were higher than they are this year.
"Why?" Corrigan asked. "In our experience, we see very high nitrate concentrations when we have average precipitation following dry periods. We had an extended period of drought in 2020 through 2023 ... this spring we're seeing average or normal precipitation patterns. Those two things combined provide very high nitrates in our source waters."
As for how long the lawn watering ban will continue, Corrigan said it'll likely be "measured in weeks not days." Officials said they're hoping to have it lifted by July 4, at which point most nitrates have normally dissipated due to hot and dry conditions.
"We're five days in ... we're in a good position because of the very positive response we've had from the community. We're going to need your continued support."
WATCH: Central Iowa Water Works executive director: 'Source water quality issue ... not a water quantity issue'
Recent coverage of central Iowa water issues
FULL NEWS CONFERENCE: Officials give updates on central Iowa water conservation efforts, nitrate levels
Who is banned from watering their lawns?
The ban affects all CIWW member agencies, including:
- City of Ankeny
- City of Clive
- Des Moines Water Works and communities served by Des Moines Water Works (Alleman, Berwick, Bondurant, Cumming, Pleasant Hill, Runnells, unincorporated Polk County and Windsor Heights)
- City of Grimes
- City of Johnston
- City of Norwalk
- City of Polk City
- Urbandale Water Utility
- Warren Rural Water District
- City of Waukee
- West Des Moines Water Works
- Xenia Rural Water
WATCH: West Des Moines Water Works general manager talks about future plans for nitrate treatment
WATCH: Clive residents respond to lawn watering ban amid high nitrate levels
WATCH: 'What is nitrate and where does it come from?': Des Moines Water Works CEO explains
