According to the Storm Lake Times, the Iowa Farm Bureau and other commodity groups are paying legal fees for county drainage districts defending themselves in a lawsuit filed by the Des Moines Water Works.

In the suit filed last year, Water Works officials claim excess nitrates flow into the Raccoon River and impact the city’s water quality. Bill Stowe, CEO of Des Moines Water Works, said they targeted the area because of public access to the river. Water Works officials have taken water samples and claim readings show high concentrations of nitrates exceeding the federal limit of 10 milligrams per liter for drinking water.

The Des Moines Register notes that nitrates occur naturally in the soil, but can spike in water when manure and other fertilizers drain off lawns and farm fields and into waterways. Untreated high levels of nitrates in drinking water have been linked to some cancers and miscarriages.

The Water Works utility seeks federal oversight of Iowa’s drainage districts requesting they be regulated like factories, businesses and cities.

Teresa Steckler, with University of Illinois Extension, noted in her Cattle Blog last September that, “Environmental groups from the U.S. and even world are expected to be financing the lawsuit for the Water Works. As for defending the drainage district directors, a tax exempt defense fund has been established with defense fund directors reflective of the Agribusiness Association of Iowa.”

Late last year, the Agribusiness Association of Iowa said it created a fund to help the counties defend themselves against the lawsuit, but the amount of money raised and contributing donors are private due to its nonprofit status.