It may come as a surprise to some that the measurements of nitrogen levels in the Raccoon River are extremely high. The result is that the drinking water for the Greater Des Moines area (about 500,000 customers) costs more because Des Moines Water Works must reduce the levels before you and I can drink the water.

The US EPA has established a maximum of 10 milligrams per liter for nitrogen in the form of nitrate, the more stable and more threatening form of nitrogen in water. (10 mg/l is the same as 10 parts per million, or ppm). Above that level, infants under six months of age are at risk for “blue baby syndrome” and shortness of breath. See this EPA web page for more: http://water.epa.gov/…/contami…/basicinformation/nitrate.cfm

The surprise isn't that nitrate levels are high – it's happened before – but that the levels are over the EPA standard in the wintertime. Usually late fall and winter see very low nitrogen levels.