Despite an ongoing lawsuit over alleged coal ash contamination near Montrose, Missouri, water quality specialists say there’s no indication that Truman Lake or the Lake of the Ozarks has been affected.
The lawsuit, filed by William and Sue Steward, accuses several companies of mishandling fly ash, a hazardous byproduct of coal-burning power plants, at a former Evergy power plant site. The Stewards claim the material has spread onto their property, contaminating soil and water.
However, testing by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources has not identified concerning levels of contaminants in public water systems near the site. A fact sheet released by DNR states that water drawn from the Harry S Truman Public Water Supply District #2—serving areas near the landfill—remains in compliance with regulatory standards for metals like lead, selenium, and arsenic.
The Lake of the Ozarks Watershed Alliance also reports no concerns. Executive Director Donna Swall confirmed there have been no indications that coal ash is entering Truman Lake, which feeds into Lake of the Ozarks. Without any reports of contamination, additional water testing in Warsaw has not been deemed necessary.
Officials say they will continue monitoring the situation, but for now, there are no signs of coal ash impacting the Lake of the Ozarks or its water quality.
