‘Nitrate Watch coordinator explains how Iowans can take ownership over their water quality’
Water quality is a major environmental concern in Iowa, and Heather Wilson, Midwest Save Our Streams coordinator for the Izaak Walton League, is helping residents take action through the Nitrate Watch program. By providing free water testing kits and training, the program empowers volunteers and community groups to monitor local waterways for issues like high nitrate levels, turbidity, and other chemical or biological indicators of pollution. Participants are encouraged not only to collect data but also to share their findings with neighbors, the media, and lawmakers—turning awareness into advocacy. With requests for test kits in Iowa rising from 304 in 2023 to over 1,100 in 2024, the program is fueling a growing movement of citizen scientists working to protect their water and their communities.
Your kit will include a bottle containing 25 nitrate test strips which you can use to test your water source(s) throughout the year. You’ll also receive postcards explaining how to use your nitrate test strips and how to share your Nitrate Watch results on the Clean Water Hub.
Your kit will include four test strips so you can test your waterway throughout the season. You’ll also receive a chart to help you interpret your results and a postcard with instructions for completing a Salt Watch test and reporting your findings.