The water quality program, passed as an amendment to the annual budget for the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and Iowa Department of Natural Resources, represented a $319 million investment into conservation practices, water quality monitoring and water system infrastructure upgrades over a 12-year period. Helland, a seventh-generation farmer, said his family has been implementing conservation practices, like no-till farming, since the mid-1990s. Reynolds said the Helland farm showcases the partnerships and "everything that our farmers are doing to protect our natural resources and water quality." Tami Madsen, CEO of Central Iowa Water Works, said the investments upstream are an "essential part of Iowa's water story." "While advanced treatment technology is essential, treatment plants are not expected to solve every water quality challenge alone," Madsen said.