A UC Davis study revealed that nitrate levels are rising in the groundwater in California's agricultural heartland. The affected areas are the Tulare Lake Basin and Salinas Valley, which includes Salinas, Fresno and Bakersfield.
According to the report, 96 % of nitrate contamination comes from agriculture.
The Salinas Valley is the center of Monterey County's agriculture industry, the leading vegetable-producing region in the nation.
If nothing is done to stem the problem, the report warns, nearly 80 percent of residents could be at risk of health and financial problems by 2050.
The report was conducted by UC Davis and funded by the State Water Resources Control Board in response to state legislation.
Groundwater moves very slowly from nitrate sources to drinking water wells. This means that the drinking water problem could continue for the next 10 to 30 years even if all sources of nitrates were completely eliminated today.
From The Sacramento Bee ...
Nitrate contamination is a common problem among the world's agricultural regions. So for California, addressing nitrate in drinking water supplies presents an opportunity to provide leadership at a time when food and fiber production must nearly double to feed the world by 2050.
The researchers estimate that some 254,000 people in the study area drink water from wells with potential nitrate contamination. The public health risks include cancer and reproductive disorders. Nitrates in the drinking water could lead to thyroid cancer, skin rashes, hair loss, and birth defects.
Key findings include:
- Actions to address the drinking water supply, including treatment and new water supplies, are most cost-effective. The problem is that well supplies will become less available as nitrate pollution continues to spread.
- There is no single option that is a one-fix solution. Each affected area will require different solutions.
- Fertilizers and animal manure are the key culprits in the rise of nitrates in the affected areas.
- Nitrate reduction is possible, but the costs are likely high.
- Directly removing nitrate from large groundwater basins is extremely costly and not technically feasible.
Reducing nitrate in the water could involve drinking water treatment or connecting to cleaner water sources, which could cost millions of dollars. California's importance as an agricultural producer means that this issue cannot be ignored. The problem of nitrate in the water could affect residents and agricultural workers in the area. It might be possible that the problem could spread to other areas of California as well.
The contamination of drinking water is not a new issue. It has been reported across the country and the world. You can access groundwater.org for a more thorough examination into the problem.
Again, from The Sacramento Bee ...
The UC Davis report estimates that fixing the small drinking water systems affected will cost $20 million to $35 million each year for several decades. The report also outlines options for funding these solutions. They include compensation agreements from nitrate dischargers, a fee on nitrogen fertilizer use or a water fee.
However, the five counties in the study are responsible for $13.7 billion to the California economy, from 40% of the state's irrigated cropland and over 50% of its dairy herds. This means that the fixes are both necessary and worth correcting.
Reducing nitrate in drinking water could involve treatment or connecting to cleaner water sources, which could cost millions of dollars. California farmers say they have worked to change their farming practices to address the problem.
from The Kansas City Star
Bob Martin, general manager of Rio Farms in King City, said he tests to find out how much nitrate the soil has and how much fertilizer, if any, it needs. This allows him to target the timing of the fertilizer and to reduce the amount used, Martin said.
His farm also spent about $11,000 last year on soil moisture probes used during drip irrigation. The sensors showed the farm was over-irrigating certain crops, meaning more nitrates were moving beyond the root zone and into the groundwater.
The Human Cost
from MSNBC ...
For the 250 people living in San Jerardo, a farmworker cooperative southeast of Salinas, the threat posed by nitrates is all too familiar.
Sonia Lopez began losing hair and found red, itchy patches on her skin. She discovered that fellow San Jerardo residents were affected by the same problems. Lopez and others learned that the problems were caused by nitrates in their drinking water.
Drinking water regulations limit nitrates to less than 45 parts per million. Three wells dug in the area indicated nitrate levels much higher, one measuring 106 parts per million.
Such levels of nitrate in groundwater would be unacceptable to most of the US. Why has this been allowed to happen to some of the most disadvantaged? One possible explanation could be the very importance of agriculture to California's economy. Cost effectiveness has been cited as one the reasons for not improving conditions for agricultural workers.
How many times have you heard about the potential $5 apple?
Agricultural labor is largely comprised of immigrants, a largely voiceless population. Cesar Chavez founded The United Farmworkers Union in 1962 to address the concerns of agricultural workers. This study reveals that the issues facing those laborers continues.
The issue of clean water is a basic human right. Let us hope that the study leads to positive action and a better life for the residents of California's agricultural areas.