Yesterday, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced an investigation into a factory farm manure spill into the South Skunk River in Hamilton County. The amount of manure released and its impacts remain unknown. The spill comes as the Iowa legislature faces an end of session deadline to restore funding for the Iowa Water Quality Information System, or else defund public water quality monitoring statewide.

In response, Food & Water Watch Senior Iowa Organizer Michaelyn Mankel issued the following statement:

“Iowa has some of the nation’s most polluted water. As factory farms turn our waterways into cesspools, Iowans are fighting back. The legislature must restore water quality monitoring funding now. Iowans deserve to know the truth about what’s in our water.”

Food & Water Watch analysis finds that Hamilton County is home to 60 factory farms producing nearly 2.2 billion pounds of manure annually. In 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designated the South Skunk River as impaired, due to factory farm manure-linked nitrate contamination. Food & Water Watch and the Iowa Environmental Council have announced an intent to sue EPA over its subsequent delisting of the waterway.