Iowa Leaders Link Water Pollution to Rising Cancer Rates

Concerns about water pollution and environmental exposure are intensifying across Iowa as cancer rates continue to rise, prompting environmental advocates, political candidates and community representatives to call for stronger protections and renewed investment in water quality programs.

Discussions in Toledo on October 15 and a gubernatorial debate reported October 29 highlighted the potential connections between agricultural pollution, drinking water contamination and cancer, while drawing attention to a voter-approved conservation fund that has never received funding.

The Iowa Water and Land Legacy fund, known as IWILL, was approved by 63% of voters in 2010. The proposal would direct three-eighths of a cent from a future state sales tax increase toward conservation, water quality improvements and outdoor recreation.

State estimates indicate that the fund could have accumulated more than $2 billion by now, including over $900 million for water quality initiatives. However, lawmakers have never approved the funding. Previous legislative proposals considered during the past eight years would have provided hundreds of millions of dollars over a decade, substantially less than the voter-approved program.

At the gubernatorial debate, Republican candidate Zach Lahn identified the fund as a priority if elected.

“One of the first things I want to do as governor is pass the IWILL funding,” Lahn said.

Democratic candidate Rob Sand also supported activating the program, pointing to potential benefits for public health and the state's younger population.

“Not only can it help clean up our water, but it can reduce our cancer rates, and it can also help keep our kids here,” Sand said.

Pam Mackey Taylor, director of the Iowa Sierra Club, criticized state lawmakers for leaving the program unfunded despite voters' approval.

“Who’s to blame? The taxpayers asked for this to be funded and the legislators haven’t done it,” Mackey Taylor said.

She argued that nitrate contamination deserves particular attention because of its potential association with certain cancers.

“The fact that this money has never been funded, has that directly contributed to the cancer rate? I think it is because nitrates in the water are implicated in some cancers,” she said.

Mackey Taylor also emphasized the governor's influence over legislative priorities and the importance of executive leadership in securing funding.

“The governor has the bully pulpit. The governor can ask the legislators to introduce legislation, the governor can write legislation and it is going to be up to the governors to do it,” Mackey Taylor said.

At the Toledo meeting, Kaitlyn Sorensen of the Iowa Environmental Council presented findings from a comprehensive report on cancer in Iowa. She noted that rural communities, including Tama County, generally experience higher cancer rates than other parts of the state.

Tama County ranks among the state's top 10 counties for new cancer cases per 100,000 residents. However, cancer rates among people younger than 50 are closer to state and national averages, while the county's cancer mortality rate remains within both benchmarks.

Kerri Johannsen of the Iowa Environmental Council identified pesticides, insecticides, fungicides and herbicides as significant environmental exposure concerns. These substances can enter the body through skin contact, contaminated food and water, or inhalation.

Iowa has consistently ranked first nationally in glyphosate use, according to the meeting presentation. Johannsen also discussed PFAS, commonly called “forever chemicals,” which persist in the environment and have been detected in Iowa groundwater and surface water. Higher concentrations have been identified in shallow groundwater wells near major rivers and downstream from wastewater treatment facilities.

Nitrate pollution presents another major challenge. Agriculture, particularly row-crop production and livestock operations, is the primary source of nitrate contamination. Animal waste, agricultural drainage systems and runoff contribute to the problem, while many Iowa water systems struggle to meet federal drinking water limits established to prevent Blue Baby Syndrome.

“The excessive amount of nitrate in Iowa’s environment also presents an enormous challenge for public water suppliers,” Johannsen said.

Johannsen also identified radon as a major concern. Iowa is considered a radon hotspot, and exposure to the naturally occurring radioactive gas is the second-leading cause of lung cancer after smoking.

Tommy Hexter, executive director of the Iowa Food System Coalition, discussed agricultural spending, declining farm profit margins and opportunities to improve environmental outcomes by diversifying crop production.

He questioned whether existing agricultural investments are delivering sufficient benefits to farmers and communities.

“In my opinion, we need to be thinking about what is our investment of $1.5 billion a year, what result is that actually leading to? It’s not leading to farmers thriving. It’s more leading to corporations thriving, and so I think we do need to retool our entire crop system, and it begins by thinking about the supply.

Why do we actually need to produce as much of these two crops (corn and soybeans) as we are?” Hexter asked.

Hexter argued that reducing excess corn and soybean production while expanding diversified agriculture could create opportunities for food production, soil restoration and habitat improvements.

“We’re producing way more corn and soybeans in Iowa than we need, and that excess of supply is leading to prices being lower for farmers. And so if we were to take some of the acreage out of production in smart ways and transfer it to diversify production, growing more food for our state, putting more ecological services in, soil health, restoration, habitat restoration. I think there’s a lot we need to do, but the key question in my mind is what are we doing that actually benefits farmers and not that benefits the system that continues to lead to overproduction and record profits for the input companies?”

Attendee Karen Murty cautioned against placing responsibility exclusively on farmers, noting that agricultural operations face financial pressures and that other factors may contribute to environmental and public health problems.

“There’s so many things here that are at cause. It is not just that farmer that farms maybe five or 10,000 acres,” Murty said.

The Toledo gathering concluded with small-group discussions about potential solutions. Johannsen emphasized cooperation among stakeholders, while Hexter highlighted the importance of sustained public engagement.

“We just have a lot of collective energy and resources in this room where I think we need to keep showing up and making these issues heard,” Hexter said.