In response to as many as 40 unpermitted wells on the construction site for the QTS data center, Linn County Public Health (LCPH) has asked the Office of the Linn County Attorney to issue a citation requesting a civil penalty of $20,000 to Minnesota company Northern Dewatering. LCPH has also issued a notice of violation.
On June 24, LCPH environmental quality staff visited 4300 76th Avenue SW in Cedar Rapids. Staff were visiting a well that was permitted for use at a concrete batch plant on the project site. At that time, a staff member discovered there had been a dewatering well installed by Northern Dewatering without a permit. After further investigation, the staff member discovered there were as many as 40 additional wells drilled on the east end of the construction site. The company drilled these wells without the required permit, permit fee, or 24-hour notification to LCPH. The wells were drilled on multiple parcels of land between May 20 and June 11. Pumping commenced on June 9.
LCPH conducted an investigation and, on July 28, sent a notice of violation to Northern Dewatering. The notice stated the company is in violation of the Linn County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 10, Article V, Section 10-144.
LCPH is working with Northern Dewatering to obtain proper permitting and inspections for wells.
The wells on the QTS construction site were built for use during construction. LCPH cannot speak to their impact on water supply as our agency does not have jurisdiction over municipal water systems or aquifer management. Those are overseen by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). The IDNR has the technical expertise to assess any potential long-term impact on the water supply, and we will defer to their findings on that matter.
“I have had frank conversations with QTS about this issue,” said Linn County Supervisor Kirsten Running-Marquardt. “Accountability by all parties is paramount, especially when we are working with something as critical as our water resources. Corporations, contractors, and their subcontractors need to be held accountable when they fail to follow permitting requirements we have in place to protect our residents and our resources. QTS has assured us they understand the seriousness of the situation and are working to ensure something like this doesn’t happen again.”