Iowa Utility, Local Officials Spar Over Suit Testing CWA Permits For Drainage

An Iowa water utility and county officials representing local agricultural drainage districts are arguing whether a recent Iowa Supreme Court ruling effectively nullified a pending suit claiming the drainage districts are subject to Clean Water Act (CWA) discharge permit requirements and can be made to limit the amount of nitrate coming from fields. If the water utility prevails, it would expand the universe of entities requiring CWA National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits. In a recently filed joint status...