Lincoln forum held to discuss Nebraska's water
A forum titled “What’s in Our Water, Nebraska?” was held on Sept. 16 in Lincoln with local and state experts. The forum, organized by an environmentalist group named the “Guardians of the Aquifer”, addressed the issue of nitrates in the Nebraska water supply.
Nitrate is an odorless, colorless and tasteless compound that occurs naturally in water, but can lead to health risks at high levels. In order for water to qualify as safe for drinking, it must contain less than 10 parts nitrate per billion. Once it exceeds that level, health risks include methemoglobinemia or “blue baby syndrome” where infants suffer from low levels of oxygen in their blood and their skin turns blue. Regulations are based around risks like blue baby syndrome and don’t take into account chronic exposure at lower levels. Chronic exposure has been linked to cancers, thyroid disease, and birth defects. Nebraska also has a high rate of pediatric cancer, which nitrates have been related to specifically.
The nitrate concentration in Nebraska’s groundwater is connected to the state’s agricultural economy. Corn requires nitrogen fertilizer, and what is not absorbed by plants remains in the soil or enters into the water supply. During the panel, speakers clarified that blame does not completely fall on farmers and ranchers, but the policies and practices that contribute and encourage water pollution.
The Resilient Soils and Water Quality Act or Legislative Bill 925 was passed in 2022. The bill’s purpose is to protect the resources of soil and water in Nebraska and specifically address the issue of nitrate contamination. The bill allocated $1.25 million over a five-year period to hire a non-government facilitator to promote conservation practices through educational, small-group sessions with farmers. There is a delay in action as the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources works towards the best way to utilize the funds. Attempts to educate and change farming practices are often met with mixed results and can cause tensions between farmers and the government.
The amount of nitrates in Nebraska’s ground water supply have been increasing in the past decades. Nebraska’s report on groundwater quality found that 30% of the state’s public water systems now have to test nitrate levels quarterly. Nebraska communities with high levels of nitrate in their ground waters must spend millions on treating the water or piping in water from other sources. While Nebraska’s public water systems are tested regularly, many rural families with private wells don’t have the same requirements.
By Aubrey Benton