Utilities required to tell you what’s in the water

You probably found something extra in your water bill this month. Utilities are required to include a water quality report that lists any high contaminant levels in your water supply. Iowa Environmental Council Research Director, Susan Heath-Cote says you should look for levels that exceed federal standards.In 1999, 125 Iowa water supplies violated federal bacteria standards and 40 violated standards for nitrates. Heathcote says utilities have expensive filter systems, but that doesn’t have to be the only effort to keep the water clean.Urban homeowners can do several things to help ensure cleaner water, such as doing a better job of disposing of wastes and making sure you don’t overapply fertilizers and other lawn treatments. Very small water companies may avoid the cost of mailing the water quality report by having it printed in the local paper.