Ethanol stirs fear of water shortage

The mass quantity of water needed for Iowa's booming ethanol industry - billions of gallons each year - has raised concerns among state officials who say laws may be needed to prevent a water shortage in the state.

Several lawmakers say that a close look at the issue is necessary and that laws may be needed to require ethanol facilities to recycle water.

"As it relates to water, I'm more concerned about the production of ethanol right now" than with the proximity of livestock facilities to streams, said state Sen. Matt McCoy, a Des Moines Democrat. "That's got me very, very concerned."

Ethanol advocates say the fear is unfounded and that, in general, the industry already pushes itself to conserve and maintain a reliable source of water.

Such mandates could damage Iowa's growing renewable fuels industry, they said.

"Just because we're in the news a lot doesn't mean we're the right industry to single out," said Monte Shaw, executive director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association.

Part of the issue is how most of Iowa's 27 ethanol plants obtain their water: by pumping it out of deep underground supplies, often known as aquifers.

Aquifers often feed Iowa's drinking water supplies. Their gradual release of water prevents many streams and rivers from drying up in the summer.

For $25, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources grants a 10-year license for such plants to pump as much water as they need from the ground.

It's unknown how much groundwater exists. A state official acknowledged that many people believe the process has become more of a registry than a licensed program designed to protect a natural resource.
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