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DNR Observes Increase In Nitrate-Polluted Drinking Water

Number Of Well Systems With Nitrate Problems Almost Doubled Between 2012 To 2013

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Most of the 11,400 public water systems in Wisconsin met all health-based contaminant standards last year. Photo: Pawel (CC-BY-SA).

A new state report notes that there’s an increasing problem with nitrate pollution in drinking water, though the great majority of people on public well systems have clean water.

The Department of Natural Resources said 96 percent of the 11,400 public water systems in Wisconsin met all health-based contaminant standards last year. But the number of systems exceeding the nitrate standard for at least part of the year grew to 56 from 30 the year before.

Nitrates are found in fertilizer, manure and other wastes and can be a potential health threat, especially to infants and women who are or may become pregnant.

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DNR water supply specialist Mark Nelson said the increase in nitrate exceedances may be due to most of the state having more rain last year, compared to in 2012 when a lot of nitrate bound to the soil.

“When we had some warm, wet weather, then that got deposited in the aquifer and got into the drinking water,” said Nelson.

Nelson said the nitrate violations mainly occurred in farming areas with sandy soils and a shallow aquifer. He said the DNR is willing to work with communities to not locate wells near potential sources of contamination, and with farmers to alter practices that contribute to nitrate pollution.