CIWW Issues Lawn Watering Ban Effective Immediately

DES MOINES – Pending an imminent risk of violating the nitrate standard, all commercial and residential lawn watering and use of automatic lawn watering systems are prohibited until further notice.

This ban is effective immediately and affects all businesses and all residential customers served by Central Iowa Water Works.

“We are pulling all levers at our treatment facilities and nitrate removal processes to prevent a violation,” said Tami Madsen, the executive director of Central Iowa Water Works. “Now we need full cooperation from the public. This is no longer a voluntary request.”

CIWW has made the decision to enact the first-ever lawn watering ban to ensure that treatment facilities can produce enough water for lifeline essentials amid water supply challenges caused by high nitrate concentrations in raw source waters.

Treated drinking water continues to meet all state and federal regulations for drinking and household uses.

Central Iowa Water Works needs to limit the amount of river water that is used in the treatment process because nitrate concentrations in the Raccoon and Des Moines rivers have climbed to near record levels.

Any residential or commercial customer observed by Central Iowa Water Works or a member agency watering their lawn will be notified of the violation. If lawn watering does not cease, water service could be disconnected.

More information will be coming from individual member agencies about enforcement and how to report violations.

The ban affects all CIWW member agencies: City of Ankeny, City of Clive, Des Moines Water Works, City of Grimes, City of Johnston, City of Norwalk, City of Polk City, Urbandale Water Utility, Warren Water District, City of Waukee, West Des Moines Water Works and Xenia Rural Water, as well as communities served by Des Moines Water Works: Alleman, Berwick, Bondurant, Cumming, Pleasant Hill, Runnells, Unincorporated Polk County and Windsor Heights.

Central Iowa Water Works has been removing nitrate using the nitrate removal facility for more than 55 days. All nitrate removal processes are operating at full capacity to produce clean, reliable water to 600,000 central Iowans.

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About Central Iowa Water Works

Central Iowa Water Works (CIWW) is a drinking water production authority chartered with the state of Iowa in April 2024. Together, the 12 founding members of CIWW serve more than 600,000 residents and distribute nearly 22 billion gallons of water each year.