Dyersville golf course failed for years to test and report drinking water quality

A Missouri House bill would require that schools ensure children’s drinking water has less than one part per billion of lead, far lower than current standards. (Photo via Getty Images)

An eastern Iowa golf course that is required to treat its drinking water for bacteria and nitrate contamination has failed to consistently test it for safety and report results to state regulators since 2018, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

The DNR recently fined Rolling Knolls Golf Course, of Dyersville, about $7,400 for the numerous violations.

Because of a lack of reliable data, it’s unclear whether the golf course’s water has always been safe to drink in the past six years, said Amber Sauser, a DNR senior environmental specialist.

Rolling Knolls has a well that is relatively shallow at 115 feet deep and is used seasonally to serve an estimated 120 people, DNR records show.

The course is required to sample its water daily for chlorine — which is used to kill bacteria — and submit the results monthly to the DNR. Too little chlorine can allow bacteria to proliferate, whereas too much can be unhealthy to drink.

The reports were not submitted from August 2018 until June 2022, when the department inspected the drinking water system, DNR records show. During that inspection, the golf course produced 16 monthly reports that dated to April 2020.

“It was unclear where the data from the (reports) came from or why they hadn’t been submitted,” a recent DNR order said.

After that, the golf course continued to miss deadlines to submit the reports of its in-house testing. The course has, however, consistently submitted monthly samples for lab testing that showed the water was in compliance with requirements, but inspections have revealed lapses in treatment. A 2015 inspection noted that there was no chlorine in the water, DNR records show.

“Something probably failed, which is why they take those (daily) chlorine residuals, so they can fix it,” Sauser said. “Self-monitoring is a big part of ensuring the compliance.”

Rolling Knolls was fined and ordered to submit its daily test results, post notices of its numerous violations, pay its past-due public water supply fees, show that it has a proper chlorine test kid and install a well vent. The golf course can appeal the order.

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