Benton County groundwater contamination to be studied

The Benton Conservation District has launched a project to learn more about the location and amount of nitrates that may be contaminating groundwater beneath Benton County.

Money to determine if there is an issue and its extent comes from a $250,000 grant through the Centennial Clean Water Grant Program administered by the Washington State Department of Ecology.

Nitrates consumed in drinking water can reduce the ability of red blood cells to carry oxygen, putting infants at risk of developing a serious health condition called “blue baby syndrome.”

Some landowners in the county already have received letters asking if the district may test a sample from their well. The wells include ones used for drinking water and others for irrigation in both rural areas and within city boundaries. Samples will be collected this fall, in the spring and in fall and spring 2017.

Wells have been scientifically selected for the project to ensure an accurate map of levels of nitrate in the groundwater across the four aquifers that lie beneath Benton County. The wells were picked by a hydrogeologist not just for their location, but based on when they were built and the method used to line them.

“The health district has been testing for years,” said Erin Hightower, agricultural resource technician for the Benton Conservation District. “But there is no uniform study done based on the aquifers to get a map.”

The Benton Conservation District also will arrange testing of 100 additional wells at the request of owners. Depending on their location, the results could be incorporated into the mapping.

The Benton Franklin Health District, which will analyze the water samples, recommends that landowners test domestic drinking wells for nitrates and bacteria at least every three years. The Washington State Department of Health says annual testing for private wells is prudent.

Those interested in a free test should call Hightower at 509-736-6000 or email her at erin-hightower@conservewa.net. They will be given instructions on how to collect water based on their well system.

Nitrate is a colorless, odorless form of nitrogen dissolved in water. It can occur naturally in surface and groundwater at a level that generally does not cause health problems, according to the CDC.

High levels of nitrate in well water can be caused by the the overuse of chemical fertilizers or the improper disposal of human and animal waste. Improper well construction or the well location also may contribute to high levels, according to the CDC.

Sources typically include fertilizers, septic systems, animal feedlots, industrial waste and food processing waste.

Infants younger than 1 year old should not be given drinking water or have food prepared with water with nitrate levels above 10 milligrams per liter, according to the CDC.

Nitrate-contaminated water also can reduce the ability of red blood cells to carry oxygen in healthy adults and children, but their red blood cells quickly return to normal. The blood cells of infants can take much longer to return to normal.

Some studies also have found an increased risk of miscarriage or babies born with birth defects in women who drink water with high nitrate levels, according to the Washington State Department of Health.

Babies consuming nitrates above safe levels may first show signs similar to other infections, such as being fussy, having diarrhea or vomiting. That can progress to symptoms of brownish-blue skin tone due to lack of oxygen. They may have a bluish color inside the nose and mouth, on the lips or fingernail and toenail beds.

Medication can quickly return the baby’s blood to normal.

This story was originally published October 20, 2015 at 1:55 PM with the headline "Benton County groundwater contamination to be studied."