Fertilizer pollution in Iowa has reached record levels, and the state is launching a multi-million dollar investment to reverse this trend.

Iowa is allocating over USD 100 million to combat nitrate pollution in rivers and drinking water (Illustrative Image Infobae). The state of Iowa will invest more than USD 100 million in water treatment infrastructure over the next ten years, in an effort to curb the growing pollution from fertilizers in its rivers. Governor Kim Reynolds announced the measure at the state Capitol after years of declining water quality: numerous communities exceed the legal limits for nitrates, a pollutant that has triggered health and environmental alarms throughout the state, according to Inside Climate News. Since the beginning of 2024, at least seven communities have recorded nitrate levels above the maximum allowed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), according to documents from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. This figure marks a record in decades for drinking water supply. A two-year scientific study published in the summer of 2025, the Central Iowa Source Water Resource Assessment, attributed 80% of the nitrogen present in central Iowa watersheds to agricultural activities. Research cited links prolonged exposure to nitrates, even at low concentrations, to various types of cancer and serious health risks for infants. The strategy presented by Reynolds includes an initial contribution of USD 25 million to expand the Central Iowa Water Works nitrate removal plant, which serves more than 600,000 residents in the state's largest metropolitan area. The plant had to operate for more than 100 days in early 2026, a period when the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers recorded concentrations close to historical records and above the legal limit of 10 milligrams per liter. The legislative package also provides USD 76 million in grants and credits to modernize treatment systems in rural communities, which are most affected by the lack of infrastructure to remove these types of pollutants. "We are redirecting funds to the most pressing needs and the most effective programs. Water quality is not an agricultural, urban, or political issue; it is a non-negotiable principle," said the governor. This infographic details how the state of Iowa is allocating over USD 100 million to water treatment infrastructure to address record levels of nitrates and health risks from agricultural pollution (Illustrative Image Infobae). The origins of the crisis lie in the intensive use of synthetic fertilizers and animal and poultry waste, practices essential for the accelerated growth of corn and soybeans in the region, according to the Central Iowa Source Water Resource Assessment. When these substances are not absorbed by crops, they filter into the soil and flow into waterways, where they promote the proliferation of algae, pathogens, and high levels of nitrates. Most rural communities lack adequate facilities to treat water and remove these wastes, which increases their vulnerability to supply disruptions. "Nitrate pollution requires a state-wide solution," said Colleen Fowle, director of the water program at the Iowa Environmental Council. The government's response combines funding for urban and rural infrastructure, but experts insist that the measures are insufficient and localized. Several regions with the highest levels outside of central Iowa would be excluded from the main support of the package, Fowle emphasized. The Iowa Environmental Council itself described the official proposal as "a small first step." 80% of the nitrogen that pollutes Iowa's rivers originates from agriculture, especially from fertilizers and animal and poultry waste. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe/Archive. The Reynolds plan also allocates an additional USD 52 million to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to promote agricultural practices such as cover crops, no-till farming, and nitrate-reducing wetlands. All of these actions are voluntary, said Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig during the event. "Mandatory regulations are the only way to guarantee improvements in water quality, and they also enjoy strong support," said Jennifer Breon, organizer of the environmental advocacy organization Food & Water Action in Iowa. According to a survey conducted by that organization, 79% of voters support mandatory requirements for industrial agriculture to reduce pollution. Another criticism points to the exclusion of the Iowa Water Quality Information System from state funding. The network of over 60 automatic sensors, operated by the University of Iowa, lost its state funding in 2023 and survives on private grants that expire at the end of July. The new package, instead, allocates an additional USD 500,000 annually to the Department of Natural Resources for its monthly monitoring program, which takes samples from 60 waterways, a less precise method than real-time monitoring. "The loss of this network would be a huge blow to a state that is already struggling to ensure drinking water for its population," warned Fowle to representatives of the Iowa Farmers Union.