What are nitrates in drinking water and why Iowa officials are watching closely
Water in Iowa has a lot of nitrate because of all the farmland across the state. The compound is a byproduct that comes out of things like fertilizer and makes its way to our water source when run off leaks into the Des Moines or Raccoon River. The Environmental Protection Agency has a standard for nitrate of 10 mg per liter. When there's too much of it in water and it's consumed, it could become a health risk for certain populations.
"Nitrate that was applied as fertilizer on farm fields, found its way through the soil profile into the field tiles, and then drains out the tiles into the rivers upstream of us," said Ted Corrigan, Des Moines Water Works CEO.
For several weeks, nitrate levels in the rivers have been so high, treatment plants across central Iowa are having a hard time treating it including Des Moines Water Works. The agency treats an average of 55 million gallons of water a day.
Nitrate levels above the EPA standard could be harmful to pregnant women and children under 6 months old.
"We have the ability to see poor birth outcomes, including potential birth defects. We also have the possibility of those under 6 months with reduced oxygen in their bloodstream and to really end up in acute care," said Juliann Van Liew, Polk County Health Department.
Jason Semprini's research at Des Moines University focuses on the impact of prenatal exposure to nitrate in Iowa.
"Quite a significant difference, some harm from exposure to birth outcomes. It's not just exposure above the regulatory guidance. Any level of nitrate appears to adversely harm birth outcomes," said Semprini, a public health assistant professor at DMU.
He hopes his research can be an advocacy tool for access to clean water. For now, many people are waiting for nitrate levels to drop in the rivers; it's a process that will take time.
"As the water (in the river) warms up, and then we get less rain and the field drain tiles don't flow as much, the nitrate concentrations in the river will go down. And so that's what we're waiting for," Corrigan said.
Until those levels come down, it takes the entire community to ensure everyone has access to safe drinking water.
Health officials want to emphasize that boiling water is not a good way to remove nitrates. In fact, it makes the contents more concentrated.
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