Iowa Counties Keep Water Quality Monitoring Afloat After State Funding Cuts – sentientmedia.org

Report on Water Quality Monitoring and Sustainable Development in Iowa

Introduction: Addressing SDG 6 in Iowa’s Waterways

• Iowa faces a significant water quality crisis, primarily from agricultural runoff, which directly challenges the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).
• For over a decade, a network of 60 water quality sensors managed by the University of Iowa has provided critical data for monitoring and managing this crisis.
• This network is essential for tracking pollutants and evaluating the effectiveness of strategies aimed at ensuring safe water resources for communities and ecosystems, in line with SDG targets.

Funding Challenges and Implications for Sustainable Development

1. State funding for the University of Iowa’s sensor network was eliminated in 2023, jeopardizing a primary tool for water quality management.
2. The Iowa Legislature redirected $500,000 from the Iowa Nutrient Research Center, which had historically funded the network, towards voluntary agricultural conservation practices, an approach that impacts SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).
3. This policy shift creates a significant gap in the state’s ability to monitor progress towards SDG Target 6.3 (improving ambient water quality) and protect public health (SDG 3).
4. The lack of consistent, state-level support undermines the long-term sustainable management of water resources as outlined in the SDGs.

Local Government Action in Support of SDG 11 and SDG 6

• In response to state-level funding gaps, the Polk County Board of Supervisors has committed $200,000 to maintain the sensor network’s operations.
• This local action demonstrates a commitment to SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) by safeguarding the primary drinking water sources—the Raccoon and Des Moines rivers—for its 500,000 residents.
• The investment is critical, as high nitrate levels force the Des Moines Water Works to operate a costly removal facility, highlighting the economic consequences of failing to address pollution at its source.
• This initiative directly supports the provision of safe drinking water, a key component of SDG 6.

The Role of Data in Achieving Water-Related Goals

1. The network provides real-time, publicly available data on key water quality indicators, including nitrate, oxygen concentrations, pH, and temperature, which also impacts SDG 14 (Life Below Water).
2. This continuous monitoring is vital for researchers, government agencies, and landowners to track pollution and assess the efficacy of nutrient reduction strategies.
3. The Central Iowa Source Water Research Assessment, commissioned by Polk County, identified the continuation of such monitoring as a critical need for evidence-based policymaking.
4. Safeguarding this data infrastructure is fundamental to making informed decisions that advance clean water and sanitation goals.

Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships and Future Outlook (SDG 17)

• The network’s survival has depended on a series of collaborations, reflecting the principles of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
• Philanthropic support from the Walton Family Foundation provided a temporary bridge after state funding was cut.
• Polk County’s investment represents a new form of local-university partnership, with discussions underway for similar agreements with other major counties.
• Stakeholders maintain that a statewide monitoring network requires sustainable funding from state or federal sources to ensure long-term viability and a coordinated approach to achieving Iowa’s water quality and sustainable development objectives.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation: This is the most central SDG in the article. The entire piece revolves around the “water quality crisis” in Iowa, specifically nitrate pollution in the Raccoon and Des Moines rivers, which serve as drinking water sources for Polk County residents. The need for monitoring and managing water quality is the primary theme.
• SDG 15: Life on Land: The article discusses the health of freshwater ecosystems (streams and rivers) being compromised by agricultural runoff. Protecting these inland waterways and the life they support is a key component of SDG 15.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: The issue stems from agricultural practices, specifically the use of fertilizers and manure. This relates to achieving environmentally sound management of chemicals (nitrates) to reduce their release into the water, a core principle of sustainable production patterns.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The article highlights a breakdown in partnership (state government cutting funding) and the formation of new ones. The collaboration between Polk County, the University of Iowa, and the Walton Family Foundation to fund the water monitoring network is a clear example of a multi-stakeholder partnership to achieve a common goal.
• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The quality of drinking water is directly linked to public health. The article notes that high nitrate levels require the operation of a costly “nitrate-removal facility,” implicitly connecting water pollution to the need to ensure safe water for human consumption and well-being.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The article focuses on the actions of Polk County and the city of Des Moines. It details how a local government is taking action to secure safe drinking water for its 500,000 residents and manage the environmental challenges affecting the urban area, including the financial burden of water treatment (“Des Moines Water Works… has invested millions of dollars”).

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
   • Target 6.1: “By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all.” The article connects to this by highlighting the threat to the drinking water source for 500,000 residents and the high cost (“nearly $10,000 a day”) to make it safe, which impacts affordability.
   • Target 6.3: “By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution…” This is directly addressed by the focus on the “water quality crisis fueled by agricultural runoff” and the monitoring of nitrate pollution. The entire sensor network is designed to track progress related to this target.
   • Target 6.6: “By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including… rivers…” The article is fundamentally about the health of the Raccoon and Des Moines rivers, which are threatened by pollution.
   • Target 6.b: “Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management.” The Polk County Board of Supervisors’ unanimous vote to invest $200,000 is a direct example of local community and government participation.
2. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
   • Target 12.4: “By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals… and significantly reduce their release to… water… in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment.” The article’s focus on nitrate from fertilizers and manure as the primary pollutant directly relates to the need for better management of these agricultural chemicals.
3. SDG 15: Life on Land
   • Target 15.1: “By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of… inland freshwater ecosystems and their services…” The monitoring of rivers is a prerequisite for their conservation and restoration from the impacts of land-based pollution.
4. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • Target 17.16: “Enhance the… partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources…” The collaboration between Polk County (financial resources), the University of Iowa (knowledge, expertise, technology), and the Walton Family Foundation (financial resources) perfectly exemplifies this target.
   • Target 17.17: “Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships…” The article describes a public (Polk County) – public (University of Iowa) partnership, supported by philanthropy, stepping in after state-level public funding was cut.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator for Target 6.3 (Improve water quality): The article explicitly mentions the data points collected by the sensor network, which serve as direct indicators of water quality. These include:
  • Concentration of the nutrient nitrate.
  • Oxygen concentrations.
  • pH levels.
  • Stream flow and temperature.

  The article states these are measured in “60 streams and rivers” at “10-minute intervals,” providing a rich dataset to measure the “proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality” (Official Indicator 6.3.2).

• Indicator for Target 6.1 (Safe and affordable drinking water): The article provides a financial indicator related to the cost of ensuring water is safe. The fact that the city of Des Moines “spends nearly $10,000 a day to operate the [nitrate-removal] plant” when nitrate levels are high is a quantifiable measure of the economic burden of pollution on providing safe drinking water.
• Indicator for Target 17.16/17.17 (Partnerships): The article provides clear financial indicators for the mobilization of resources through partnerships. These include:
  • The $200,000 investment from the Polk County Board of Supervisors.
  • The $500,000 in state funding that was cut.
  • The mention of a donation from the Walton Family Foundation that is currently supporting the network.

  These figures quantify the financial commitments of different stakeholders.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: sentientmedia.org