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lic health, promote public hygiene and sanitation, and, unless otherwise provided, enforce the laws relating to the same. *** "7. Make inspections of the public water sup- plies, sewer systems, sewage treatment plants, and garbage and refuse disposal plants throughout the state, and direct the method of installation and operation of the same." 2. The Iowa Water Rights Law As a result of widespread drough t conditions in the early and mid-1950's and the nationwide atten- tion focused on water shortages, the 1957 Iowa Legislature established an Iowa water use permit system and assigned its administration to the Iowa Natural Resources Council. The law declares that water occurring in any underground basin, watercourse, or any other nat- ural body of water, is public water and public wealth of the people of the state and is subject to use in accordance with the principles and policies of beneficial use declared in the law. With a few exceptions as to the kind and amount of use and the source of water (use for ordinary household purposes, for poultry, livestock, and domestic ani- mals; certain existing uses; any beneficial use of less than 5,000 gallons per day; and any beneficial use of surface flow from border rivers or use of groundwater on an island or former island in bor- der river) a permit must be obtained from the State Water Commissioner for the diversion, stor- age, or withdrawal of water and for the diversion of water or other material from the surface directly into any underground watercourse or basin. Public hearing with due notice thereof is required for each initial application and for renewals where problems or controversy exist. The determination of the Water Commissioner may be appealed to the Re- SOilrces Council and then to the courts. The "policies and principles of beneficial use" is the standard for the determination on applica- Hans for permits. The 13\'/ provides for the con- sideration of applications in the order received except that priority is to be afforded as of the actual date of diversion or withdrawal occurring prior to the effective date of the law. Use of .the water for ordinary household purposes, for poul- try, livestock, and domestic animals, shall have priority over other uses and any person with an existing irrigation system in use prior to the effec- tive date of the law must be issued a pennit to 16 continue unless some other riparian user is thereby damaged. Nothing in the law shall impair the vested rights of any person. Permits may not be granted which (I) will be detrimental to the public inter- ests or to the interests of property owners with prior or superior rights who might be affected, (2) will impair the effect of pollution control laws, (3) will impair the navigability of any navigable watercourse, (4) will adversely affect the control, development, protection, allocation, or utilization of the water resources of the state, or (5) will ad- versely affect or interfere with the state compre- hensive plan for water resources or an approved local water resources plan. Permits may be granted for a maximum period of ten years. Beneficial use is defined as "the application of water to a useful purpose which inures to the benefit of the water user and subject to his domin- ion and control, but does not include the waste or pollution of water." Waste is defined as "(a) permitting ground water or surface water to flow, taking it or using it in any manner so that it is not put to its full beneficial use, (b) transporting ground water from its source. to its place of use in such a manner tha t there is an excessive loss in transit, (c) permitting or causing the pollution of a water bearing strata through any act which will cause salt water, highly mineralized water, or otherwise contaminated water to enter it". Under policy adopted by the Resources Council to supplement the statute, most permits now are granted for the maximum legal period of ten years. Withdrawals from surface sources for irrigation are limited to a maxir;num period of seven years. Permits for supplemental irrigation of general farm crops generally authorize withdrawals in quantities sufficient to apply a maximum of 15- acre inches per acre except in the dryer western part of the state where a maximum of l8-acre inches per acre may be authorized. Greater quanti- ties may be authorized for irrigation purposes where special need is demonstrated as for truck gardens, nurseries, sod farms, etc. Although no specific criteria have been adopted for other !ll'es, the applicant in each case must demonstrate his need for water in the quantity requested and that his use is generally consistent with standard prac- tice for the requested use. Protected flows have been established for all Iowa streams at the regular gaging point in Iowa nearest the mouth of the stream. Comparable flows are determined for upstream withdrawal points and artificial reduction below the protected flow is not permitted. The protected flow for each stream is based on information obtained from con-