CIWW Ends Stage III Lawn Irrigation Ban; Implements Stage I — Voluntary 25% Reduction in Watering

August 7, 2025 — Central Iowa Water Works (CIWW) announced today that it is ending the Stage III lawn watering ban and moving to Stage I of the organization’s Water Shortage Plan, which calls for customers to voluntarily reduce outside watering by 25 percent. As part of the move to Stage I, starting today, local governments and school districts within the CIWW region can now resume lawn watering and irrigation.

The CIWW Technical Committee voted to lift the ban based on its strong confidence in the system’s capacity to serve increased demand while continuing to meet all safe water drinking standards.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standard for nitrate concentrations in treated water is
10 milligrams per liter (mg/L). CIWW is meeting the standard for safe drinking water and has done so throughout this water quality event.

“The ban is lifted, but we believe it is prudent to proceed with Stage 1 voluntary conservation measures,” said Tami Madsen, executive director of Central Iowa Water Works. “We still see some variability in nitrate concentrations in the rivers, and we are continuing to operate the nitrate removal facility at its minimum level.”

The ion-exchange nitrate removal facility at Fleur Drive has been running for 111 days, and this is the first time it has been operated in the month of August. Madsen added that all other operations are in normal status, and no system adjustments are required because of poor water quality.

With Stage 1, CIWW recommends continuing with the region’s even odd lawn watering schedule: § Even numbered addresses, Sunday, Wednesday, Friday
§ Odd numbered addresses, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
§ No watering on Monday

Additional awareness and conservation measures include:

• Consider watering only two of the three days depending on the needs of your yard
• Targeted watering so that sprinklers are directed grass and vegetation, not impervious

  surfaces such as sidewalks or driveways

• Water before 10 a.m. or after 5 p.m.
• Mindtheweather,don’t water right before, during or immediately after a rain