Judge Dismisses Iowa Water Utility Claims; Drainage Districts Liable for Water Violations

摘要

Iowa's agricultural drainage districts are immune from lawsuits under state law prompting a federal judge to dismiss Clean Water Act and other claims against them by Des Moines' water utility (Bd. of Water Works v. Sac Cnty. Bd. of Supervisors, N.D. Iowa, 15-cv-04020, judgment 3/17/17). The ruling means the water utility will continue to bear the full cost of treating its source water contaminated with nitrates, most of which is caused by agricultural runoff.