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Old 09-20-2010, 04:58 PM
 
4 posts, read 18,674 times
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We are possibly making a move from CA to the Iowa City area and I wanted to ask please about the air quality. Are there farms nearby that spray a lot of pesticides? I am very chemically sensitive and that is a concern for me and my family. I read on a thread that farms are heavily sprayed(not sure which area in Iowa they were referring to) and to watch out.
Thanks so much! Sarah
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Old 09-21-2010, 02:14 AM
 
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Chemicals, all kinds of them, are the heart of industrial agriculture, no need to ask. 95% of Iowa's land surface is BIG agriculture. Iowa city is sitting in the middle of corn fields. There is little doubt, you'll get your share of chemical bounty with drinking water. Remember, formerly the healthiest segment of population (at least in their prime) - farmers (and hired hands) have one of the lowest sperm counts and lots of cancers of all kinds. Water pollution is especially nasty in the spring. Mississipi river looks like sewage drain all year round thanks to agricultural run off. You cannot hide from percolating water contaminants. http://www.extension.iastate.edu/pub...ons/ian103.pdf
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Old 09-21-2010, 07:15 AM
 
Location: Des Moines
586 posts, read 2,181,080 times
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You could also get hit by a by a bus crossing the street today too if you want to go around worrying about death. Luckily, not everyone in Iowa City is a farmer or hired hand and I'd bet that not all Iowans have lowered sperm counts. Not that I don't doubt that trace amounts of anything can show up in any water system, but it's not like we're drinking right from the well here. We have these great things called water treatment plants, and in Iowa they specialize in removing nitrates from drinking water.
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Old 09-21-2010, 08:53 AM
 
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Iowa City built a brand new state of the art water treatment plant back in 2003, and it has only had one violation since that time (three years ago - which was then treated and fixed). The water quality is much better than it had been with the previous plant, which was very old and the water got a lot of complaints. The water quailty exceeds all requirements by the EPA.

Iowa City rarely has any air quality issues, certainly not like those out west or in large urban areas. There aren't any large factories pumping things into the air, and there aren't a ton of traffic issues.

Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed

It mostly gets A's and B's.

There are farms outside of Iowa City to the east, south and west, but if you're in town you won't really notice this fact. They are sprayed, but it's never been a huge concern as the liquid agents are sprayed directly on the dirt and plants - and don't tend to travel the miles it would take to bring them right into town in most cases.

Last edited by Yac; 12-28-2011 at 05:59 AM..
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Old 09-21-2010, 04:16 PM
 
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Water plants don't treat pesticide, herbicide, insecticide, fungicide and hell knows what else cide pollution + heavy metals + antibiotics + hormones. Iowa is not your grand, grand dad bucolic farm you've seen on Kinkade like pictures. Sure, those are trace contaminants but nobody really knows what they do to ya. Since the guy is "chemical sensitive" it's just common sense to avoid heavily farmed area. Besides it takes a special person to enjoy corn&soy bean desert of Iowa.
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Old 09-21-2010, 05:10 PM
 
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^ well obviously you're the completely wrong person to get any unbiased opinions, haha. Why so bitter about Iowa?
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Old 09-21-2010, 05:30 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chicago60614 View Post
^ well obviously you're the completely wrong person to get any unbiased opinions, haha. Why so bitter about Iowa?
I told ya, it takes a special person to like modern Iowa, even though it was a majestic place 150 years ago. As long as you like it, that's all that matters. Besides, you liking Iowa doesn't make you immune to the trace pesticide etc. pollution, buy a good water filter to supplement magic of that outstanding Iowa City water plant.
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Old 09-22-2010, 06:58 AM
 
Location: Coralville/Ames, IA
267 posts, read 1,229,771 times
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The question here was about air quality, not water quality. Although I think that the water quality is fine around Iowa City, the new water plant really did improve things significantly. Coralville's water has always been fine too.

As for air quality, I think Chicago60614 is right on. As long as you choose to live closer in the urbanized area of Iowa City/Coralville and not on the outskirts, you probably won't even see a farm in your everyday commute. There are definitely places in Iowa where they spray pesticides out of planes, but I've never seen it too close to Iowa City.
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Old 09-22-2010, 01:49 PM
 
4 posts, read 18,674 times
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Thank you everyone for your responses, I really do appreciate them!
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Old 04-30-2011, 08:29 AM
 
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Populated towns and neighborhoods are to be sprayed this May with FORAY 76B to slow the spread of the gypsy moth that we do not have issue with. Our local DNR sign on to implement this Slow the Spread program that originated in North Carolina.

The pesticide can be harmful to babies, pregnant women, children, small pets, older folks and those with compromised immune systems.

DNR claims it's safe for its a harmless bacteria--Btk--from the ground. Um, yeah only 20% of the product. What about the other stuff? Can't find out because of Trade Secret laws.

This began in February 2011. Postcards sent a week before a huge blizzard. No one attended the "meeting" that told of the moth. Want info on the harmless safe for humans pesiticide? Call this person. That person. Contact this office. Do it before the 25th for that is when all concerns end.

Great.

It can happen anywhere. Anytime. This isn't farm land, here. These are fully populated Towns/Cities being sprayed by airplanes. To slow a moth.

There is nothing we can do to stop it. The product stays buoyant for many hours after release from the plane. Oregon, Washington, California, Canada and New Zealand know of FORAY all to well.

No tests conducted on its safety when sprayed on homes/parks/cars/yards -- mailmen!! But looks like we are going to find out.

Good luck in your move. Hope your town is never included in a program like this.

Two sprays a week apart needs to be done to kill the caterpillars *butterflies are going to die by the hundreds. Other insects, too. Our health? Well, we will just wait and see, right?
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