Part 6 — The Cost of Clean Water: Prevention, Accountability, and Health

In the final episode of our six-part water series, Dr. Shawn Ellerbroek (cancer scientist, biochemist, professor, and Iowa House District 57 candidate) and Dr. Emily Boevers (OB-GYN, mother of three, and health advocate) step back to connect the dots: we can either pay to keep pollutants out of our water—or pay far more to remove them later. They unpack who bears those costs (taxpayers vs. polluters), why low fines fail as deterrents, how permit decisions ripple through communities, and what it means for everyday Iowans’ health, recreation, and local economies.

Highlights:

• Prevent vs. clean-up: the real price of nitrate and PFAS contamination
• Weak enforcement: why fines don’t change billion-dollar behavior
• Permits, monitoring, and “workarounds” that expand risk across watersheds
• Cancer concerns: correlation, not causation—but enough to demand action now
• Practical steps: well testing, understanding municipal limits, and when RO systems make sense

Shawn and Emily close with a call for shared responsibility: whatever our politics, we all drink the same water. Catch Parts 1–5 for expert perspectives from Dr. Helmers, Rep. Chuck Isenhart, and Wally Taylor—and stay tuned as Deciding Iowa returns to track legislative developments in the new session.

Listen next: Start the series at Part 1, then continue through Parts 2–5 for the full story.