Water quality is an important issue in our state. Currently, Iowa dedicates more than $20 million annually towards improving the state’s water quality through the Nutrient Reduction Strategy. This is a significant investment, but as with many other issues there is always more we can do to ensure progress in this area.
This past week, the House Ways and Means Committee introduced House Study Bill 654, also known as the Iowa Water Quality Improvement Plan, which will continue implementation of the Nutrient Reduction Strategy while significantly increasing the state’s investment in a manner that addresses both urban and rural water quality issues.
The Iowa Water Quality Improvement Plan has dedicated, sustainable long-term funding sources from both the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund (RIIF) and the excise tax on metered water.
The funding from the water services excise tax would be dedicated to urban conservation practices, improvements to wastewater and drinking water facilities in communities, and a financing program for water quality projects.
Funding for rural efforts will come from the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund, focusing on long-term improvements that will reduce the runoff of nitrates and phosphorus into Iowa waterways and reduce soil erosion.
These improvements would involve both in-field and edge-of-field practices.The programs would be funded on a cost-share basis.
In-field practices would include:
• Terraces, which are soil conservation structures on highly sloped areas of farm fields to control soil erosion and limit phosphorus runoff;
• Grass Waterways, which are areas of the field where water normally runs off the field and grass is planted instead to prevent erosion and phosphorus runoff.
Edge-of-field would include:
• Bio-reactors, which is a buried biological filter in a tiled drain system that removes nitrates;
• Buffer strips, which are grassy areas on the edge of farm fields that reduce field runoff;
• Saturated buffers, which are drainage tile discharge areas running lateral along waterways which naturally remove nitrates;
• Nutrient removal wetlands, which are areas designed to retain water flowing off a field and slowly discharge into a waterway which naturally removes nitrates.
These public-private partnership projects will be funded by Iowa farmers, local communities, the state, and other private sources.
In addition to these projects, the Plan will continue to expand the state’s investment in water quality research and measurements.
This Friday I will be holding town hall meetings in the following locations: Two Rivers Coop in Tracy at 8 a.m., Bussey City Hall at 9:30 a.m., and the Knoxville Chamber Office at 5 p.m.
Until next time, God bless.
• Contact Rep. Greg Heartsill at
641-218-0185 or greg.heartsill@legis.iowa.gov