Not an expert on this, but the Des Moines Water Works does have the largest nitrate removal system in the world.

--- On Fri, 8/5/11, Thomas Mathews <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

From: Thomas Mathews <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Water quality--nitrates
To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Friday, August 5, 2011, 10:50 AM



 
 

Here's a central-Iowa water quality question for everyone:
 
If, in the watersheds that Des Moines gets its drinking water 
from--which are mainly the Raccoon River, but also, at certain times, the 
Des Moines River--we went back to farming methods that were in use prior to 
about 1940, which means no applications of anhydrous ammonia, would the Des 
Moines Waterworks need to continue using the major nitrate removal plant which 
they built a few years ago, in order to make our water safe to drink? (I 
remember reading that our nitrate removal facility is the largest of its kind in 
the world.)
 
Thanks for any comments on this!
 
Tom
Des Moines
 
PS--Regarding the objection that 1940s-era farming was much more 
labor-intensive than today, and therefore not a realistic option anymore, 
consider that we have a serious labor surplus now, with unemployment probably 
understated at the official figure of 9.1 percent. 
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