On September 21-22, 2017, a statewide symposium was held at Drake University in Des Moines to examine various impediments to providing safe drinking water in the Midwest. The symposium was co-sponsored by several University of Iowa centers, including the Environmental Health Sciences Research Center (EHSRC), Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contamination (CHEEC), Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research (CGRER), and the UI Public Policy Center. Partnering organizations included the University of Northern Iowa, Drake University, The Iowa Public Health Association, Iowa League of Cities, the Iowa Association of Water Agencies, the Iowa Environmental Council and the Central Iowa Drinking Water Commission.
Over the course of a day and a half, 13 speakers delivered presentations and participated in panel discussion on subjects such as the Health Impacts of Nitrate in Drinking Water, New Technologies and Approaches for Mitigating Unregulated Contaminants in Drinking Water, Health Impacts from Drinking Water Treatment, New and Emerging Threats, Ordering our Priorities, and Communicating with the Public on Drinking Water Issues.
Approximately 150 people attended the symposium, including water regulators, researchers, state legislators, students, educators, and environmental and public health representatives from across Iowa.
Speakers represented several universities, both in Iowa and nationwide, the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the press, and various water and environmental organizations and agencies.