New water quality sensors detect nitrate levels in Dubuque County creek

DUBUQUE COUNTY, Iowa (KCRG) — New sensors are detecting nitrate contamination in Dubuque County streams as the Iowa Environmental Council says the state faces severe nitrate contamination in its water.

University of Iowa water quality technicians are installing monitors at Whitewater Creek, Lytle Creek, Little Maquoketa River and Maquoketa River North Fork this week to detect nitrate levels in the water. That data is being uploaded in real time to the University of Iowa’s water quality information system.

“I think the public needs to be aware, be able to take whatever action they feel is necessary,” said Marty St. Clair, Iowa research scientist. “We want to get the information out so policymakers can see it, so everybody can see it.”

Araceli Dewitt wants to know the nitrate levels in her area. The mother of three, who gets her water from the city of Dubuque, says she has been forced to drink and cook with bottled water at times after boil orders were issued.

“It’s shoddy. It’s not consistent and you’re always wondering, is it okay to drink again? It’s very important to me. Yeah, big time,” Dewitt said.

The monitor installed at Whitewater showed one reading of more than 9 milligrams of nitrogen per liter. While that level is lower than the EPA limit for nitrates in drinking water, St. Clair says it is enough to lead to negative health outcomes, including a higher likelihood of being diagnosed with cancer.

The four sensors cost about $27,000 to install. The project was funded by Dubuque County, the Dubuque County Soil and Water District, Friends of Jackson County Conservation and Dubuque Area Land and Water Legacy.

Chuck Isenhart, director of the Dubuque Area Land and Water Legacy, says the data will help determine where more funding will need to go to solve water quality issues in Iowa.

“We got only so many resources to actually invest in preventing the problem. Let’s make sure that goes to where the problems are identified greatest so that we can get the greatest bang for that buck,” Isenhart said.

Dewitt said the data is a step toward improving water quality.

“Information is the first step to that, so us being able to improve the water, we got to know what’s going on in the first place, so I think that’s amazing,” Dewitt said.

The University of Iowa’s water quality information system has more than 60 sensors statewide.

Data will be uploaded in real time to the university’s Iowa Water Quality Information System, where it will be publicly available immediately. The website is iwqis.iowawis.org.