Groundwater testing of a quarry where the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, and the University of Northern Iowa deposit coal and biomass ash showed levels safely below state and federal standards, according to a press release.

Barker Lemar Engineering Consultants of West Des Moines conducted statistical analyses of samples taken from five wells every month from February 2010 until last month.

The firm found no groundwater-protection standards were exceeded at a statistically significant level, according to the release.

— by Sam Lane