High nitrates in Dixon water
September 10, 2010

The Iowa DNR is telling people to use another source of drinking water for small children in the town of Dixon, where tests found high nitrate levels today. The city and the DNR are trying to figure out the cause of the nitrates, which are usually tied (at least in Iowa) to fertilizer runoff, both from agricultural and household lawn use. While adults are generally able to process nitrates without a problem, nitrates can cause blue baby syndrome in small children, by competing with oxygen in the blood. Boiling water is not a safe way to prevent nitrate consumption, because the process can actually increase nitrate concentrations. The Des Moines Water Works operates the largest nitrate-removal plant in the world, using an ion-exchange process. While we can't do a lot to remove nitrate from drinking water, we can help with a wide range of products for municipal wastewater treatment to help ensure that the water being returned to Iowa's rivers and streams is as safe as possible. Please feel free to contact us with your questions.

September 2010
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last revised September 2010