A study by an Indianapolis, Indiana research insitute says Iowa and otherstates are wasting money on systems to remove nitrates from drinking water.Nitrates have long been credited with causing what is known as “Blue BabySyndrome” — a condition that takes away an infant’s ability to get oxygenfrom its blood. Hudson Institute researcher Alex Avery says nitrates don’tcause the problem other conditions do.Avery says attention should be turned away from nitrates when treating “bluebaby syndrome.” Avery says he spent two years researching the issue and says other groupsnow need to verify the research.He says taking the focus away from nitrates in water could have a greateconomic impact on Iowa and other states.The General Manager of the Des Moines Water Works, L.D. McMullen, says Iowawater systems go by the Evironmental Protection Agency’s standard whenit comes to removing nitrates. McMullen says the E-P-A standard seemsappropriate.McMullen says the E-P-A standard says there can be no more than 10 miligramsof nitrates per liter of water. McMullen says it costs one-thousand dollars a day to run the system thattakes nitrates out of the water, but he believes the money is worth it tohave safe water.McMullen says there are some days when the system does not have to run tomeet the E-P-A guidelines.
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