WATER QUALITY

Iowa's surface and groundwater serves as a precious resource for industries, businesses and communities and provides state citizens and visitors with invaluable cultural and recreational opportunities. Several assistance resources are available.

Financial Assistance

• Water/Wastewater Funding Opportunities [PDF: 90k] — Funding Available for Water-Wastewater Needs
• Clean Water Starts with You - Make the Connection [PDF: 5MB] – Find out how to start a water or wastewater project, including identifying which technologies, financial opportunities, and resources are available.
• Watershed Improvement Grants [www.iowadnr.gov/water/watershed/grants.html] — The Iowa DNR offers grants to create a watershed project. A watershed project can make changes on the land to improve water quality in Iowa's rivers, streams and lakes.

Wastewater

• Wastewater Engineering Construction Permitting Process Manual Update [www.iowadnr.gov/water/wastewater/downloads.html] — The latest IDNR Wastewater Construction Permitting Process Manual. Communities, planners, and engineers are advised to discard the previous process manual dated October 2006 (green cover) and begin using the new manual effective immediately.
• National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) [www.iowadnr.com/water/npdes/] — An NPDES permit allows direct discharge of wastewater to surface waters.
• Wastewater Permitting Information Exchange (WWPIE) [https://programs.iowadnr.gov/wwpie/] — Search for individual NPDES permits. A NPDES permit holder can apply, review, submit, and pay for permits online.

Water Supply

• IDNR Water Supply Section [www.iowadnr.gov/water/drinking/] is responsible for a diverse group of drinking water programs associated with public water supplies (PWS), systems that serve 25 or more people, and private wells. A public water supply construction permit must be obtained from IDNR prior to the construction or modification of any source, treatment, storage or distribution system of a public water supply. To obtain a construction permit plans and specifications, along with the applicable construction permit application forms and fees visit www.iowadnr.gov/water/wse/conpermits.html.
• Miscellaneous Water Forms, including Animal Feeding, Flood Plain, Dam safety [www.iowadnr.gov/water/forms.html ]

Water Quality

• Water Quality Standards [www.iowadnr.com/water/standards/] — The DNR manages water quality through the implementation of the state's Water Quality Standards. These standards are found in Chapter 61 of the Iowa Administrative Code.
• Use Assessment/Use Attainability Analysis (UA/UAA) [www.iowadnr.gov/water/uaa.html] — Recent rulemaking and 2006 legislative action tasked IDNR to establish new levels of water quality protection.
• Antidegradation [PDF: 237k] — Antidegradation refers to federal regulations designed to maintain and protect high quality waters and existing water quality in other waters from unnecessary pollution. www.iowadnr.com/water/standards/antidegradation.html

Watersheds

• IDNR Watershed Improvement [www.iowadnr.com/water/watershed/] — With watershed improvement projects and other assistance, the DNR can work with you to improve our water together.
• Watershed Improvement Review Board [www.iowaagriculture.gov/IWIRB.asp] — The Watershed Improvement Review Board (WIRB) provides grants to watershed and water quality projects.

Stormwater

• Stormwater Permitting Requirements [www.iowadnr.com/water/stormwater/]
• Iowa Stormwater Management Manual [www.ctre.iastate.edu/pubs/stormwater/index.cfm] — The Iowa Stormwater Management Manual presents planning and design guidelines for the management of stormwater quality and quantity in the urban environment. This manual includes the most commonly-used stormwater management best management practices for communities, businesses, and planners.
• Iowa Rainscaping Manual [ftp://ftp-fc.sc.egov.usda.gov/IA/news/RainGardens.pdf] — Rain Gardens are an infiltration-based stormwater management practice that relies on soils with good percolation rates to help manage rainfall and improve water quality. Install one today!

Helpful Links

• Water Quality Helpful Links [PDF: 43k]
• IDNR Water Quality Listserv Sign-up [www.iowadnr.gov/water/listserv.html] — Get the latest water quality information directly to your inbox. Subscribe to the IDNR's Water Quality listserv.
• Sustainable Infrastructure and Financial Tools for Water & Wastewater [PDF: 23k]

To Learn More:

Phone: 515.725.3124 or 800.351.4668
E-mail: waterquality@iowa.gov