Bottled Water, Anyone? After Rainy Spring, Authorities Find 'One of Highest Nitrate Levels Ever' in Cedar River

From Cedar Rapids: 

Cedar Rapids Closely Monitoring Nitrate Levels in River

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – May 14, 2013 –  The Cedar Rapids Water Division is keeping a close eye on the nitrate level in the Cedar River and at our drinking water treatment plants.  The level of nitrate has risen in rivers across Iowa over the last few weeks.  The City of Des Moines started their nitrate removal facility last Friday for the first time since 2007.  

Nitrate levels in Iowa Rivers traditionally rise during a rainy period in the spring as the nitrogen fertilizer that has been applied to farm fields is washed out of the soil.  Drought conditions during last year’s growing season meant that lots of nitrogen remained in the soil and recent significant wet weather events moved that nitrogen down into drainage tile and into waterways in the form of nitrates.  On Saturday, May 11th, the nitrate analyzer set up by the United States Geological Survey at the Blairs Ferry Road Bridge measured a peak nitrate level of approximately 18.5 mg/l.  This is one of highest nitrate levels ever measured in the Cedar River. 

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The Cedar Rapids Water Division controls the amount of nitrates entering our drinking water treatment facilities by drawing water from wells with lower nitrate concentrations during these runoff events.  As nitrate levels in the river rise, more wells experience higher nitrate levels thereby limiting the ability for the Cedar Rapids Water Division to control the problem in this manner.  The Cedar Rapids Water Division has been monitoring and measuring the nitrate level in our finished water very closely and will notify the public and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources if the analyzed values reach the maximum contaminant level as established by the Environmental Protection Agency.  The maximum contaminant level is a value derived from scientific studies which determine the potential for health effects among certain population groups.  

 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) limits the amount of nitrate as nitrogen in drinking water to 10 mg/L.  The most recent on-line nitrate analyzer readings at the NW Plant by the Utilities Department Water Division show nitrate levels at 7.6 mg/l.

For more information about nitrates and Cedar Rapids Water, citizens are encouraged to review our water quality reports at www.CityofCR.com/WaterReport or visit the EPA’s website:http://water.epa.gov/drink/contaminants/basicinformation/nitrate.cfm.