Pattison company defends its request to dramatically increase its water usage

GARNAVILLO, Iowa (KCRG) - Pattison Company in Clayton County is asking to nearly quadruple its water usage to more than 3.7 billion gallons of water.

If the DNR approves Pattison’s permit to increase its water use, it would become one of the top water guzzlers in the state.

People in the area worry increased usage could dry up their wells, but Pattison says water levels outside the mining area won’t change.

The Pattison company uses around a billion gallons of water a year in its quarry.

Company manager Kyle Pattison says the company’s sitting on top of water it can’t pump because of its current limits. Pattison says increasing water usage isn’t about expanding the mining operation, but saving costs.

“It would increase our costs somewhat, which has an impact on the amount of people we