Iowa § 455E.5 Groundwater protection policies

Iowa Statutes

§ 455E.5 — Groundwater protection policies

Iowa § 455E.5

Title XINATURAL RESOURCES

Ch. 455EGROUNDWATER PROTECTION

This text of Iowa § 455E.5 (Groundwater protection policies) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Iowa Code § 455E.5 (2026).

Text

1.It is the policy of the state to prevent further contamination of groundwater from any source to the maximum extent practical.

2.The discovery of any groundwater contamination shall require appropriate actions to prevent further contamination. These actions may consist of investigation and evaluation or enforcement actions if necessary to stop further contamination as required under chapter 455B.

3.All persons in the state have the right to have their lawful use of groundwater unimpaired by the activities of any person which render the water unsafe or unpotable.

4.All persons in the state have the duty to conduct their activities so as to prevent the release of contaminants into groundwater.

5.Documentation of any contaminant which presents a significant risk to human health, the en

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1. It is the policy of the state to prevent further contamination of groundwater from any
source to the maximum extent practical.
2. The discovery of any groundwater contamination shall require appropriate actions to
prevent further contamination. These actions may consist of investigation and evaluation or
enforcement actions if necessary to stop further contamination as required under chapter
455B.
3. All persons in the state have the right to have their lawful use of groundwater
unimpaired by the activities of any person which render the water unsafe or unpotable.
4. All persons in the state have the duty to conduct their activities so as to prevent the
release of contaminants into groundwater.
5. Documentation of any contaminant which presents a significant risk to human health,
the environment, or the quality of life shall result in either passive or active cleanup. In
both cases, the best technology available or best management practices shall be utilized. The
departmentshalladoptruleswhichspecifythegeneralguidelinesfordeterminingthecleanup
actions necessary to meet the goals of the state and the general procedures for determining
the parties responsible by July 1, 1989. Until the rules are adopted, the absence of rules shall
not be raised as a defense to an order to clean up a source of contamination.
6. Adopting health-related groundwater standards may be of benefit in the overall
groundwater protection or other regulatory efforts of the state. However, the existence
of such standards, or lack of them, shall not be construed or utilized in derogation of the
groundwater protection goal and protection policies of the state.
7. The department shall take actions necessary to promote and assure public confidence
and public awareness. In pursuing this goal, the department shall make public the results of
groundwater investigations.
8. Education of the people of the state is necessary to preserve and restore groundwater
quality. The content of this groundwater protection education must assign obligations, call
for sacrifice, and change some current values. Educational efforts should strive to establish a
conservationethicamongIowansandshouldencourageeachIowantogobeyondenlightened
self-interest in the protection of groundwater quality.