OAKVILLE, Iowa - The floodwaters that deluged much of Iowa have done more than knock out drinking water and destroy homes. They have also spread a noxious brew of sewage, farm chemicals and fuel that could sicken anyone who wades in.
On Monday, Bob Lanz used a 22-foot aluminum flatboat to navigate through downtown Oakville, where water reeked of pig feces and diesel fuel. "You can hardly stand it," Lanz said as he surveyed what remained of his family's hog farm. "It's strong."
LeRoy Lippert, chairman of emergency management and homeland security in nearby Des Moines County, warned people to avoid the floodwaters: "If you drink this water and live, tell me about it. You have no idea. It is very, very wise to stay out of it. It's as dangerous as anything."
Dozens of barrels, some marked corrosive, float on the Cedar River
in downtown Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Monday, June 16. Seth Wenig/AP
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