Your analysis of Iowa’s water crisis—and the last-minute results of the final legislative session through the lens of the “Farm to Faucet” concept/con—is brilliant. You connected policy, agriculture, and public health in a way that makes the stakes both understandable and impossible to ignore.
The Republicans have figured out that people have figured it out. Yesterday I was at a protest in Davenport with about 40 other people organized by Food and Water Watch. The point was that Miller Meeks helped screw up Medicaid, which is bad news in a state with polluted drinking water and a high cancer rate. I'd say about 75% of the drivers going by honked in support or gave us the thumbs up.
It happened right after this year's session of the Iowa Legislature was safely over, after the Iowa legislators who do whatever Big Ag wants were safely home and safe from further annoying citizen demands for clean water. THAT is when the Central Iowa Water Works held their exciting press conference announcing that major nitrate problems are on the way for Central Iowa this summer.
They didn't hold that press conference during the session, when that nitrate news would have added public pressure for meaningful water action. They held it after the session was over. After the Water Works' new $25 million from the Iowa Legislature was safely in the bag.
Yes, Central Iowa Water Works, some of us think the timing of that press conference smells bad. What did you expect?
I love how you are able to communicate the complexity of Iowa's water issues and the solutions into easy-to-understand language. I love how you point out the failings of Reynolds, and Naig.
So glad you made it to Clinton this past Monday. Those in attendance were treated to an in-depth analysis of the situation in Iowa.
Iowa is the epicenter of a global conspiracy to "feed the world" by first very profitably poisoning it and then monetizing the human consequences (diabetes, obesity, cancer, etc.) with "innovative" medical products and technologies while treating the many and varied environmental effects in precisely the same way. Go capitalism!
Excellent article Chris. Im not from Iowa, but our need for clean water clean air and clean energy, along with truth telling is something this entire Country needs to hear.
Treating water for carcinogens is like treating patients for cancer, something I have done for 50 years: essential, but begs the real question. So much better to not have the problem in the first place. The critical project for both water and future patients is to define the cause and eliminate it.
The paralysis induced by Big Ag's financial pressure on the Legislature extends to our great universities in Ames and Iowa City--and as you know, one opposes them at his/her own peril. Keep up the good work!
'Farce to faucet' 😂 It's frustrating that the solution to many of our environmental problems is often a heavily engineered one. There are many cases in fisheries (my field) that cautions against this way of thinking (stocking, fish ladders, alum treatments). Yet the hubris of human thinking seems to always move in this direction, like a magnet. I'd love to see a more serious attempt at recovering some wetlands as part of a broader portfolio. There are probably places where they could help, albeit slowly and in pieces. And obviously, this all starts with monitoring. Is there a way to remotely sense nitrate in rivers yet?
If you have time and aren't familiar with them already, you might want to read about Iowa CREP wetlands. They have both good and not-so-good features. They aren't as popular as "diapers" like saturated buffers and bioreactors, largely because the latter two require very little land. But nothing is as unpopular as requiring Iowa agriculture to do anything whatsoever. As long as that remains true, and as long as Iowa legislators have no fear at all of losing elections because of farm pollution (and their lack of fear was obvious during this year's session), little will change.
Your analysis of Iowa’s water crisis—and the last-minute results of the final legislative session through the lens of the “Farm to Faucet” concept/con—is brilliant. You connected policy, agriculture, and public health in a way that makes the stakes both understandable and impossible to ignore.
The Republicans have figured out that people have figured it out. Yesterday I was at a protest in Davenport with about 40 other people organized by Food and Water Watch. The point was that Miller Meeks helped screw up Medicaid, which is bad news in a state with polluted drinking water and a high cancer rate. I'd say about 75% of the drivers going by honked in support or gave us the thumbs up.
Farce to Faucet. You do have a gift for turn of phrase. Thanks, as always.
It happened right after this year's session of the Iowa Legislature was safely over, after the Iowa legislators who do whatever Big Ag wants were safely home and safe from further annoying citizen demands for clean water. THAT is when the Central Iowa Water Works held their exciting press conference announcing that major nitrate problems are on the way for Central Iowa this summer.
They didn't hold that press conference during the session, when that nitrate news would have added public pressure for meaningful water action. They held it after the session was over. After the Water Works' new $25 million from the Iowa Legislature was safely in the bag.
Yes, Central Iowa Water Works, some of us think the timing of that press conference smells bad. What did you expect?
Chris,
I love how you are able to communicate the complexity of Iowa's water issues and the solutions into easy-to-understand language. I love how you point out the failings of Reynolds, and Naig.
So glad you made it to Clinton this past Monday. Those in attendance were treated to an in-depth analysis of the situation in Iowa.
Iowa is the epicenter of a global conspiracy to "feed the world" by first very profitably poisoning it and then monetizing the human consequences (diabetes, obesity, cancer, etc.) with "innovative" medical products and technologies while treating the many and varied environmental effects in precisely the same way. Go capitalism!
You tell it like it is, including the part about institutional complicity. Thanks, Chris.
This calls to.mind the Death Bed Conversion; spend a lifetime drinking, cheating, lying, chizeling, and as the light dims, promise you'll repent.
We promise, we promise . . . !
(Fingers crossed?)
Excellent article Chris. Im not from Iowa, but our need for clean water clean air and clean energy, along with truth telling is something this entire Country needs to hear.
"Farm to Faucet". I love it; it's a great description of the mess Iowa water is in. Perhaps a campaign slogan?
Thank you Chris!!
Way to go Chris
Interesting that Penn State researchers developed a new N calculator. (Please see “Project examines what ‘thriving ag’ could look like in future”, Karl Blankenship, Bay Journal, May 4, 2026, https://www.bayjournal.com/news/project-examines-what-thriving-ag-could-look-like-in-future/article_4e8d768e-e163-4e65-899d-ac07447c8d62.html) The Thriving Ag Report stated that "Tests on seven Lancaster County farms found the tool reduced average nitrogen recommendations by 48 pounds per acre without a loss in production."
Treating water for carcinogens is like treating patients for cancer, something I have done for 50 years: essential, but begs the real question. So much better to not have the problem in the first place. The critical project for both water and future patients is to define the cause and eliminate it.
The paralysis induced by Big Ag's financial pressure on the Legislature extends to our great universities in Ames and Iowa City--and as you know, one opposes them at his/her own peril. Keep up the good work!
Farce to Faucet is even better than Right to Harm!
'Farce to faucet' 😂 It's frustrating that the solution to many of our environmental problems is often a heavily engineered one. There are many cases in fisheries (my field) that cautions against this way of thinking (stocking, fish ladders, alum treatments). Yet the hubris of human thinking seems to always move in this direction, like a magnet. I'd love to see a more serious attempt at recovering some wetlands as part of a broader portfolio. There are probably places where they could help, albeit slowly and in pieces. And obviously, this all starts with monitoring. Is there a way to remotely sense nitrate in rivers yet?
If you have time and aren't familiar with them already, you might want to read about Iowa CREP wetlands. They have both good and not-so-good features. They aren't as popular as "diapers" like saturated buffers and bioreactors, largely because the latter two require very little land. But nothing is as unpopular as requiring Iowa agriculture to do anything whatsoever. As long as that remains true, and as long as Iowa legislators have no fear at all of losing elections because of farm pollution (and their lack of fear was obvious during this year's session), little will change.
https://iwqis.iowawis.org/