An important partnership exists between Iowa’s rural water systems and the state’s livestock industry. This partnership helps ensure that thousands of farms with livestock across the state have ready access to a reliable supply of quality water. Livestock operations in Iowa rely on rural water systems in a variety of ways. In many situations, rural water systems provide a backup supply to the natural sources of water such as ponds that are available for livestock use. At the same time, a significant number of operations depend on rural water as the primary supply of water for their livestock on a daily basis. In almost all cases, periods of drought underscore the essential role that the state’s rural water systems play in supporting Iowa’s livestock industry.