Iowans with concerns about water quality and its impact on health have a new resource, as the Polk County Health Department is launching a “Know Your Water, Know Your Health” campaign.
Health department director Juliann Van Liew says water quality is an important issue that needs transparency.
“In this campaign, we commit to really sharing what we know, sharing what the evidence base is already telling us,” Van Liew says, “but also being honest about what we’re still learning based on the emerging research.”
She says the campaign allows people to stay up to date with ongoing water quality issues, and they can learn how water systems are treated and how water quality impacts recreation and health.
Van Liew says the campaign is in response to questions about water quality issues, including nitrates from runoff.
“But even moving beyond that into water filtration in the home, recreation and water quality, fish, wildlife and pets, ‘Can I eat fish that I take out of local water sources?’” she says.
The website combines all that information into one place, while Van Liew says people can reference it when they have a concern or want to learn more about issues impacting water quality.
(By Maura Curran, Iowa Public Radio)