Des Moines Water Works Lawsuit Dismissed

A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit over nutrients runoff filed by Des Moines Water Works against Iowa drainage districts in the Raccoon River watershed. DTN reports the lawsuit was dismissed by a federal judge who said the Iowa General Assembly is the appropriate body to address the state's water quality issues, and not the court.

The lawsuit was filed in March of 2015 against trustees of 10 drainage districts. The complaint alleged the drainage districts were point-source polluters as defined by the Clean Water Act. The lawsuit sought damages against the districts for nitrates runoff polluting sources of drinking water.

The ruling claims Des Moines Water Works has no authority to sue the drainage districts, but the ruling did not address whether agricultural drainage tile is a pollution point source in the Clean Water Act. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey said in a statement that “the dismissal of this lawsuit is very welcome news.”

Source;  NAFB News