DWD IN THE NEWS

On July 13, 2024 the Cedar Rapids Gazette published the following article on the Driftless Water Defenders:

Clean water advocates continue push for Iowa legislative change

New nonprofit, Driftless Water Defenders, seeks to educate Iowans

By Olivia Cohen, The Gazette ELKADER — Water quality is personal for Ian Zahren, a Lansing resident who became a teacher to help with the national teacher shortage.

Zahren, a candidate for the Iowa House in District 64, underwent blood testing in March of this year before donating a kidney. Those tests revealed his phosphorus levels were six times the maximum amount. In some cases, that could signify kidney failure.

Zahren has a history of advocating for clean water. He "had a hypothesis" that the phosphorus levels were related to the water in his home, so he had it tested. As a result of those tests, he installed a reverse osmosis water purifying system.

After a few months, the phosphorus levels in his blood have returned to normal range.

"When we look at the level of contaminants in the water, this isn't a political issue," Zahren said. "We have a system that is compliant to industry and major corporations and we need to make sure we are supporting our people, as water is a fundamental right."

Zahren was one of dozens of people in attendance at a meeting of the Driftless Water Defenders in Elkader on Thursday evening.

Chris Jones, a retired University of Iowa research engineer and author, is president of the nonprofit organization, which officially launched in May. He said the water in Iowa has been "bad" his entire life.

After leaving the university at age 62, Jones is working with the Driftless Water Defenders to "inspire," "empower" and encourage Iowans to "trust their instincts" when it comes to advocating for clean water throughout the state.

The meeting in Elkader was organized to educate Iowans about the ways agricultural and industrial pollutants can impair the state's streams and groundwater, posing a health risk to residents.

Water quality and access to clean, safe drinking water has been a long-standing issue in Iowa. Nitrate — an ingredient found in much of the fertilizer sold in Iowa — and other contaminants have been found in rivers statewide.

"Change doesn't just happen," said Jones.

According to the Iowa Environmental Council, as of 2019, 22 percent of private wells in the state had nitrate levels over the threshold that studies have linked to increased risk of cancer.

Iowa has the secondhighest cancer rate in the country and has the fastest growing rate of new cancers. Two in five Iowa residents will be diagnosed with cancer.

Due to the current agriculture regulations in Iowa, there are few standards that monitor how much fertilizer and pesticides farms can use.

The nonprofit, which officially launched in May, is funded through $35 memberships and donations. It focuses on northeast Iowa.

When it comes to making change, Jim Larew, the organization's attorney-at-law, said the group is ready to work with other advocacy groups and the Legislature to help expand clean water access.

"We're prepared to negotiate and when necessary, to litigate where we feel there has been a violation of the law," said Larew, of Iowa City. "Oftentimes that's when we feel the DNR has not properly enforced the law."

Outside of legal action, Larew said there is a lot of room for education and advocacy.

And there are steps Iowans can take to make their drinking water safer.

In Iowa City, the University of Iowa has a water purifying plant that cost $3 million. And households like Zahren's can purchase reverse osmosis systems, although they can cost hundreds of dollars.

But Larew said it shouldn't be that way.

"It doesn't seem right that the private citizens would have to be paying to clean the water that someone else had polluted so severely," he said.

Olivia Cohen covers energy and environment for The Gazette and is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues. Comments: (319) 398-8370; olivia.cohen@thegazette.com

Chris Jones, retired University of Iowa research engineer and author, speaks Thursday to a gathering hosted by Driftless Water Defenders in Elkader. Jones, president of the nonprofit organization, spoke about water quality issues throughout the state. He is the author of the book "The Swine Republic: Struggles with the Truth about Agriculture and Water Quality." (Olivia Cohen/The Gazette)