CIWW Requests Voluntary Cut of 50% in Lawn Watering Across Central Iowa

Water treatment plants at capacity: Central Iowa Water Works requests voluntary minimum 50 percent cut in lawn watering 

DES MOINES – Central Iowa Water Works is now calling for a voluntary minimum 50 percent reduction in all residential and commercial lawn watering to help alleviate water supply challenges caused by high nitrate concentrations in raw source waters. 

If customer demand does not immediately decline, lawn watering will be prohibited. 

“Water production is significantly reduced at the Fleur Drive Treatment Plant because of near record-high nitrate concentrations. We cannot use the Raccoon River as a source for treatment,” said Tami Madsen, executive director of Central Iowa Water Works. “Our treatment plants and the nitrate removal facility are running at capacity. While all finished water meets regulations for drinking, we are at risk of violating the nitrate standard if customer demand does not decrease.” 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has set a limit for nitrate in finished drinking water at 10 mg/L. Today, all finished drinking water is below that level. 

For more than 50 days, Central Iowa Water Works has been removing nitrate during the treatment process. Operating the nitrate removal facility at the Fleur Drive Treatment Plant adds an extra step to an already complicated process of producing clean, reliable water to 600,000 central Iowans. 

In addition to reducing lawn watering, all central Iowans are asked to practice wise water use and repair leaking faucets, wash only full loads in the washer and dishwasher, take shorter showers, and hold off on washing cars, playing with water toys or filling swimming pools. 

Central Iowa Water Works offers these tips to reduce lawn watering usage: 

• If you normally run your sprinklers for an hour, water for 30 minutes. 

• If you water for three days, only water one. 

• Consider watering only your front lawn. 

• Water in the early morning or late evening, not both. 

• Do not water on Monday. 

Note: If water is running off the lawn and into the street, the ground is saturated and does not need additional watering. 

Lawn watering is the greatest use of water during warm weather months. It can increase the metro’s average daily use of water from 50 million gallons to 90 million gallons. Those 40 million gallons are enough water to supply an entire city the size of Des Moines with water for two days. 

“CIWW is asking for this reduction to solve today’s complication – nitrate removal – but the regional entity is also planning by expanding and building water treatment facilities that can combat not only nitrate, but other source water quality issues and emerging contaminants,” Madsen said. 

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. The formation of CIWW represents cooperation and collaboration among the 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.