IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES August 9, 2007For immediate release 1.	DNR issues drinking water boil order for Chariton2.	Manure runoff reaches creek in Louisa County fish kill3.	Consumption advisory for bass removed in Mason City4.	Update: More than 90,000 fish killed in Floyd River5.	2006 Iowa Drinking Water Compliance Report available6.	Fairfield discharges wastewater following rainstorms7.	DNR enforcement actions DNR ISSUES DRINKING WATER BOIL ORDER FOR CHARITON MEDIA CONTACT: Jim Stricker at (515) 725-0270 CHARITON - The DNR issued a boil order for Chariton residents Thursdayafter routine water testing has shown high levels of turbidity, lowchlorine residuals and elevated bacteria levels. The 4,500 residents in the Lucas County town should boil water used fordrinking or cooking, brushing teeth, food preparation or any otherpurpose involving human consumption. City water may still be used forbathing.  Samples collected August 5 from Chariton Municipal Water Works’ watersupply showed turbidity levels of greater than 1 turbidity unit, abovethe standard of 0.3 turbidity units. Turbidity is cloudiness caused byparticles in the water and is an indication of inadequate watertreatment. The DNR is issuing the order based on these test results, as well asthe Water Works’ failure to conduct monitoring as directed, toaccurately report operational data, and to consistently apply adequateoperational strategies.  “The boil order protects the public while these issues are beingresolved. That’s why we’re requiring residents to boil their wateruntil water samples come back showing the water is safe to drink,”said Jim Stricker, the supervisor of the DNR’s Des Moines fieldoffice.  For the DNR to lift the boil order, turbidity levels must be below 0.3turbidity units, the total chlorine residuals must be above 1.5 mg/Ltotal in the distribution system and bacteria tests must besatisfactory.   Boiling destroys disease-causing organisms, which may be in the water.Water should be brought to a boil, boiled one minute and then allowed tocool before using. More information on disinfecting water is availableon the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791. Residentsshould continue to boil their water until DNR and Chariton MunicipalWater Works officials notify them that water is meeting standards and issafe to drink. Chariton’s water supply comes from two lakes located east of town.The turbidity levels have exceeded standards, and violations have beenissued for June, July and August. The Chariton water supply changed itsdisinfection method in July and must maintain a minimum of 1.5 mg/Ltotal chlorine residual in the distribution system. The requiredchlorine residual was not maintained for 15 days in July.  The DNR is proceeding with legal action against the Chariton MunicipalWater Works for not meeting turbidity standards, not meeting the maximumcontaminant level (MCL) for total trihalomethanes and total haloaceticacids, and other issues.  # # # MANURE RUNOFF REACHES CREEK IN LOUISA COUNTY FISH KILL MEDIA CONTACT: Jim Sievers at 319-653-2135 COTTER - Manure runoff from a nearby open feedlot led to a fish kill,reported to the DNR Wednesday, in Short Creek near Cotter. A citizen discovered several dead fish in the creek northeast of CotterWednesday morning. Upon investigating, DNR officials found several deadwhite suckers, minnows, gizzard chads, chubs and at least one largemouthbass in the affected waters.  DNR fisheries technician Vance Poulton estimated the fish kill spannedapproximately three miles of Short Creek and occurred sometime over theweekend. Further details surrounding the fish kill are expected Thursdayafternoon following tests. DNR officials traced the runoff to an open feedlot located roughly ahalf-mile away from the creek. It appears hoses used to cool hogs led tothe runoff escaping the open feedlot.  Fish require dissolved oxygen in water in order to survive, anddissolved oxygen levels decrease when pollutants such as manure runoffenter the water. Iowa’s recent warm temperatures have also furtherstressed fish, making them vulnerable. During summer months, it is critical open feedlot producers inspectbelow their lots for cut channels or other ways that manure can reachIowa waters.  Fish kills should be reported to the DNR’s 24-hour spill hotline at(515) 281-8694. The investigation is ongoing. The DNR is considering enforcementaction, including restitution for dead fish. Writer: Holly Williams # # #  CONSUMPTION ADVISORY FOR BASS REMOVED IN MASON CITY MEDIA CONTACT: Cindy Garza, DNR Field Office in Mason City, at515-424-4073. MASON CITY - A fish consumption advisory for largemouth bass caughtfrom Black Pit (also known as Pierce Pond) located in Lester MilliganPark in Mason City has been removed. Removal of the advisory comes after testing of largemouth bass filetsduring the past year. The advisory was issued in July of 2006 after twofish tissue samplings conducted by the DNR - one in early May and asubsequent one in late June of 2006 - detected slightly elevated levelsof mercury in largemouth bass fillets. The levels were 0.24 parts permillion (ppm) in the May sampling and 0.23 ppm in the June sampling offish tissue. The recent samples taken this summer were .018 parts permillion. The samples taken for both channel catfish and panfish in 2006 werebelow the 0.2 ppm level for mercury used to determine if an advisory wasissued last year. A 0.3 standard is now used to remain consistent withstandards used by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. A nearby pond in Lester Milligan Park, Big Blue, has not been impactedand there have been no advisories put into effect for fish from there. The Iowa Department of Public Health and Iowa Department of NaturalResources urge citizens to consider the following factors regarding theconsumption of fish: *	Fish is a healthy food-source of lean protein and essentialfatty acids *	Fish should be a part of the healthy diet of all individualsincluding pregnant or nursing mothers and young children *	Environmental chemicals are present in fish tissue at lowconcentrations, and bio-accumulate in larger and older fish *	Exposure to larger amounts of environmental chemicals can beavoided by restricting consumption of larger-sized fresh-water predatorfish (such as bass, walleye, and pike), and certain varieties ofsalt-water fish (such as mackerel, shark, swordfish, and tilefish) Although the source of mercury in Black Pit is not known, in 2005 TheU.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) inspected two buildings andthe surrounding property located at 1511 S. Garfield Place and 1580 SW15th St. where mercury oxide battery manufacturing operations wereperformed in the past.  While the EPA is continuing its efforts to havethe responsible party clean up, mercury levels in Black Pit have droppedsince equipment that had mercury-laden dust on it was moved from theparking lot. Writer: Kevin Baskins # # # UPDATE: MORE THAN 90,000 FISH KILLED IN FLOYD RIVER MEDIA CONTACT: Kevin Baskins at 515-249-2814. HOSPERS - The DNR has estimated a fish kill in the Floyd River nearHospers to be approximately 97,000 fish. The fish were killed along approximately 7.4 miles of stream and werevalued at $11,660. Most of the fish were smaller minnow speciesincluding shiners and chubs, but there were also dead sunfish, suckersand a few channel catfish found as well. The DNR is continuing to investigate the incident to determine thereason for the fish kill and is currently awaiting laboratory resultsfrom water samples that have been collected. If a responsible party canbe determined, restitution will be sought for the value of the fish. The DNR first began investigating the fish kill Aug. 6. Writer: Kevin Baskins # # # 2006 IOWA DRINKING WATER COMPLIANCE REPORT AVAILABLE  MEDIA CONTACT: Dennis Alt at (515) 725-0275. DES MOINES - More than 2.63 million Iowans served by public watersupplies received safe drinking water in 2006, according to an annualDNR compliance report presented to the Iowa Environmental ProtectionCommission Aug. 7. Iowans can check the safety of the drinking water in their city bygoing online to the “Iowa Public Drinking Water Program 2006 AnnualCompliance Report.” The report can be found atwww.iowadnr.gov/water/drinking/reports.html and is also available bycontacting the DNR.  “As people look at the report, they should understand that exceedingthe maximum allowed level of contamination, or MCL, just one time forone contaminant causes a public water supply to be out of compliance,”said Dennis Alt, supervisor of the DNR’s water supply engineeringsection.  Alt said the results for 2006 were similar to recent years, despite newfederal regulations that created more requirements for water systemoperators and state oversight staff.  “Overall, the public water supplies in Iowa are serving safe waterand we can be proud that there have been no deaths or disease outbreaksreported,” he said. “We even saw a slight increase in the number ofsystems that met the drinking water standards for bacteria and nitratesthroughout 2006 when compared to last year. However, we continue to haveroom for improvement.” The contaminants found in Iowa which can cause an immediate, or acute,health risk are coliform bacteria from a fecal source, nitrate andnitrite. Bacteria pose a risk to people who are elderly, very young orwho have weakened immune systems. Nitrate and nitrite are a risk toinfants under six months of age and possibly pregnant women.  Less than one percent or 19 of the 2,015 active public water suppliesin 2006 had 31 violations of the fecal coliform bacteria standard.Nineteen systems had a total of 64 violations of the nitrate standard.One system had two violations of the nitrite standard. All public water systems are required to sample their water at specificintervals for certain contaminants. Many of those systems are alsorequired to submit monthly operation reports. The DNR issues monitoringor reporting violations if systems do not collect the required samplesor submit timely reports.  “This is another of the areas where we need to see improvement withcompliance,” said Alt. “Both the number of systems with a monitoringor reporting violation increased over 2005, as did the total number ofviolations.  “The drinking water industry is very complicated with manyrequirements,” he added. Iowa is fortunate to have dedicated,qualified water treatment and water distribution system operators, andstate drinking water staff. And I'm sure we can work together to improvethe compliance rate.” These are some of the report’s highlights:*	There were no reported waterborne disease outbreaks or deathsfrom Iowa public drinking water supplies.*	All health-based standards were met by 90 percent of Iowa’s2,015 regulated public water supplies.*	More than 2.6 million people served by Iowa’s public watersystems received water that was in compliance with all health-basedstandards. *	The 396 health-based standard violations at 193 public watersupplies were of these contaminants (followed by the percent contributedby each contaminant to the total number of violations): non-fecalcoliform bacteria (50 percent), nitrate (16 percent), totaltrihalomethanes (9 percent), fecal coliform bacteria (8 percent),arsenic (4 percent), lead (4 percent), copper (4 percent), and othercontaminants.*	Major monitoring and reporting requirements were met by 80percent of Iowa's public water supply systems. Of the 1,088 violations,monitoring violations for coliform bacteria, nitrate, volatile organiccompounds, and synthetic organic compounds, and reporting violationswere the most prevalent.*	The requirement for each of the 1,146 community public watersupply systems to compile and distribute an annual consumer confidencereport to their customers was met by 96 percent of the systems. The federal Safe Drinking Water Act requires the State of Iowa topublish an annual report of the status of its drinking water program.The report has been distributed to the DNR’s Environmental ProtectionCommission, the Governor’s Office, the Iowa Legislature and the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency. The report is available on the DNR’s Web site(www.iowadnr.gov/water/drinking/reports.html) or by contacting the WaterSupply Engineering and Operations Sections, Iowa DNR, 401 SW SeventhSt., Suite M, Des Moines, IA 50309-4611 or at (515) 725-0282. Writer: Karen Grimes # # # FAIRFIELD DISCHARGES WASTEWATER FOLLOWING RAINSTORMS MEDIA CONTACT: Dennis Ostwinkle or Jim Sievers, DNR Washington fieldoffice, (319) 653-2135. FAIRFIELD - The City of Fairfield bypassed untreated wastewater tolocal creeks Wednesday evening as rainstorms moved through the area. Almost 236,000 gallons of wastewater combined with field runoff,entering Crow Creek just above the Highway 34 bypass. Another 57,000gallons entered into an unnamed tributary of Cedar Creek just belowJefferson County Park. The city has used lime to disinfect both areas. The City of Fairfield is currently working on upgrading its wastewatercollection system. Writer: Jessie Brown # # #  DNR ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS MEDIA CONTACT: Jessie Brown at (515) 281-5131. DES MOINES - The DNR took the following enforcement actions in June andJuly 2007. The following are only briefs; please contact Jessie Brown ofthe DNR for more information at (515) 281-5131. Enforcement actions, including copies of the original orders andcontact information, are available on the DNR’s Web site atwww.iowadnr.gov/legal/eactions.html. The Web listing offers orders firsttaken in 2007 (amendments to orders issued prior to 2007 are notlisted). Administrative Orders Responsible parties have 30 days to appeal the order or 60 days to paythe penalty. Dickinson County*	Doug Orwig, of Lake Park, was issued a unilateral administrativeorder to submit a complete manure management plan (MMP) and fees, and topay a $3,500 penalty. The order is in regard to failure to submit acomplete Iowa Phosphorus Index MMP for a site in Dickinson County. Hamilton County*	The DNR amended a 1999 administrative order regarding animalfeeding operations at a site in Hamilton County. The order is amended bydeleting all references to Iowa Select Farms, L.P. as a responsibleparty for any of the violations addressed in the order. Consent OrdersA consent order is issued as an alternative to issuing anadministrative order. A consent order indicates that the DNR hasvoluntarily entered into a legally enforceable agreement with the otherparty. Cerro Gordo County*	Cerro Gordo County and the City of Meservey agreed in a consentorder to retain an engineer to submit a preliminary engineering report,to remove a bypass from the city’s lift station wet well, to installnew pumps at the lift station and to obtain permits for futureconstruction or changes to wastewater treatment facilities. The countyand city also agreed to pay a $1,250 penalty to the DNR and perform asupplemental environmental project (SEP) with an estimated cost of$5,800. The project will pay for improvements to leaking manholes inMeservey. The consent order is in regard to violations at the city’swastewater treatment plant. *	Doug Neuberger, of Clear Lake, agreed in a consent order tosubmit a manure management plan and obtain certification as aconfinement site manure applicator. The consent order is in regard toimproper manure application at a site in Cerro Gordo County. Des Moines County*	M.A., Inc., of Burlington, agreed in a consent order to withdrawan application to renew a National Pollutant Discharge EliminationSystem (NPDES) permit for the operation of the wastewater disposalsystem at Spring Grove Mobile Home Park in Burlington. The NPDES permithas expired and is no longer in effect.  Emmet County*	Robert Ness, of Estherville, agreed in a consent order to submitand implement a plan of action for the construction of manurecontainment structures and to pay a $3,000 penalty. The consent order isin regard to manure from open cattle feedlots in Emmet County enteringTwelve Mile Lake. Franklin County*	Franklin County agreed in a consent order to pay a $7,500penalty. The consent order is in regard to open burning and illegaldumping violations in rural Franklin County. Mitchell County*	L&M Machine, LTD, dba L&M Machine and Construction, and BobJoens, all of Riceville, agreed in a consent order to pay a $2,000penalty. The consent order is in regard to asbestos removal, improperdisposal of solid waste and open burning violations that occurred duringthe demolition of two residences in Riceville. Plymouth County*	Anthony Trucking, Inc., of LeMars, agreed in a consent order tocease illegal discharge of a wastewater disposal system and to pay a$5,000 penalty. The consent order is in regard to a truck wash facilityin Plymouth County. Washington County*	The City of Washington agreed in a consent order to work withthe DNR regarding the construction of a new gravity sewer line to servea biodiesel facility and to follow a compliance schedule forimprovements to its wastewater collection system, including itstreatment facility. The city also agreed to stipulated penalties if theschedule is not followed. Consent AmendmentsA consent amendment is issued in settlement of a previousadministrative order or to amend a pre-existing consent order. A consentamendment indicates that the DNR has voluntarily entered into a legallyenforceable agreement with the other party. Clinton County*	Gary Hart, of Clinton, agreed in a consent amendment to removeall solid waste and recyclable metals from a site in Clinton, provideverification of proper disposal, to not store more than 500 waste tiresonsite unless he obtains a permit, and to pay a $1,000 penalty. Thisamends a 2004 administrative order regarding solid waste and air qualityviolations. Writer: Jessie Brown  -30-
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