The Des Moines Water Works is expected to pursue a lawsuit against three northwestern Iowa counties that manage drainage districts with high concentrations of nitrates. DM Water Works officials say the nitrates, which flow into the Raccoon River, threaten the city’s water quality.

The Board of Trustees have every legal and moral right to file this lawsuit. They are obligated to look after the best interest of its customers.

The Iowa Farm Bureau will be out in opposition of this lawsuit. They will say high levels of nitrates is the fault of Mother Nature: too wet, too dry, too cold, too hot, etc., when the real culprit is industrial ag farming in a non-sustainable way. With the current practice of a two-crop rotation system, our soil is being rapidly depleted. Point is, if you do the damage, i.e. pollute, you should pay, not the DM Water Works customers.

Bill Stowe director of DM Water Works is right about bringing this lawsuit; at the very least, calling attention to what is going on in Iowa. This could happen all over Iowa if pressure is not put onto the polluters. Thank you Bill Stowe for protecting Iowa families and not caving in to special interests.

Pat Bowen

Iowa City