Dangerous nitrate levels rising in drinking water as drought grips Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Nebraska’s ongoing drought could be putting your family’s health in danger.

A new report by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln says wells across the state have higher nitrate levels than normal, and a student is working to find solutions.

Around 15% of Nebraska’s population gets its drinking water from private sources, which could be at risk for nitrates, according to the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy.

Channel 8 has previously reported that high levels of nitrate are linked to diseases, including cancer.  They can also cause deadly birth defects and blue baby syndrome.

Scientists say during a drought, people can expect to find more contaminants in their wells.

“When we take more water out than what is coming back in, the water level falls and the high-concentration water remains at the surface of the water table,” Jonathan Cronk, the master’s student who’s trying to solve this issue, told Nebraska Today. “So, there are not necessarily more contaminants in the well itself, but there is less low-concentration water to draw from. We see a higher concentration of contaminants in withdrawals since we are left taking the water closer to the surface of the water table.”

Cronk added that reducing withdrawals from wells would likely help, and he’s hoping to develop a ratio that will reduce water use.

Professor Francisco Muñoz-Arriola is helping Cronk identify wells with high nitrate levels.

They’ll be studying their depths and nearby soil properties to find answers.