BOUTON, Iowa (AP) – Financially troubled Xenia Rural Water District has problems with its water, too. The district has sent several warnings about higher-than-allowed levels of nitrite and arsenic in its water. Arsenic can cause cancer, and nitrites can be harmful to infants. The district provides water service in all or part of 11 counties west and northwest of Des Moines as well as in Worth County.

Mark Christianson is supply and treatment manager for Xenia. He told The Des Moines Register that the district is using the sodium permanganate to treat the arsenic problems. And the district is attacking the nitrite problem by using a different process to inject chlorine. The district hopes to cancel the nitrite warning by July.

Officials say the water problems aren’t a result of the district debt problems.