As part of MPR's “Trouble in the Water” series, MPR’s Clay Masters reports on Des Moines Water Works lawsuit over cleanup of farm runoff…a battle with farmers about who’s responsible for paying for it.

The Des Moines River is one of two rivers the Des Moines Water Works uses for source water for its 500,000 customers. The utility is suing 10 rural Iowa drainage districts, the results of which could shift the costs of filtering farm effluent directly onto rural Iowa and its farmers.

Report is third in an eight-part series.

Click links below for other parts of series:

part 1: https://archive.mpr.org/stories/2016/05/16/trouble-in-the-water-can-minnesota-stop-polluting-its-lakes-rivers

part 2: https://archive.mpr.org/stories/2016/05/17/trouble-in-the-water-random-acts-of-conservation-water-quality-depends-on-farmers

part 4: https://archive.mpr.org/stories/2016/05/19/trouble-in-the-water-northern-minnesotas-st-louis-river-comes-back-to-life

part 5: https://archive.mpr.org/stories/2016/05/20/trouble-in-the-water-saving-minnesotas-polluted-lakes-takes-science-political-will

part 6: https://archive.mpr.org/stories/2016/05/23/trouble-in-the-water-from-septics-to-sewers-on-rainy-lakes-south-shore

part 7: https://archive.mpr.org/stories/2016/05/24/trouble-in-the-water-dogs-as-sentinelsbluegreen-algae-brings-toxic-mystery

part 8: https://archive.mpr.org/stories/2016/05/25/trouble-in-the-water-in-battle-to-keep-lead-from-water-st-paul-digs-deep

Awarded:

2016 MBJA Eric Sevareid Award, award of merit in Series - Large Market Radio category