PA Farm News -- Are there Nitrates in Your Well Water or in Your Stream?

Are there Nitrates in Your Well Water or in Your Stream?
By Axel Linde
KIRKWOOD -- Have you had your well tested recently and saw that your nitrate levels are over 10ppm? Is that too high for my family, for my livestock, or for my garden? What can I do?

These and other questions are a concern for farmers and homeowners in southeastern Pennsylvania. Nitrates can occur naturally in rainfall and in ground water aquifers. However excess nitrates can leach into the groundwater from many different sources. Rural sources can come from on-lot septic systems, gardens, lawns, manure or inorganic fertilizers applied more than what the crop can utilize. It is best to have your well water tested every year. How do you solve an excess nitrate problem? Homeowners have several options. One solution is to buy bottled water, but it can be rather expensive if you are feeding lots of children and or livestock. Another option is treatment, but again rather costly. Ion exchange units, reverse osmosis or distillation are all methods of treatment that can remove nitrates from drinking water. Boiling the water or leaving it sit in the container for several days does NOT remove nitrates.

A much more effective way of dealing with the problem is to try to identify the source and then reduce its effects on your well. Check your septic system. Is the absorption field properly handling the waste flows? When was the last time it was pumped out? Check your well. Is it properly constructed with casing, grouting and a sanitary well cap to prevent surface water and other contaminants from entering?

What about the well itself? Is it shallow or deep? Remember a majority of the well water comes from the rainwater falling on the ground within 200 feet of your well. So go stand near your well and take a complete look around for potential sources of excess nitrogen or other pollutants. Are you standing down slope from the septic system or a near a livestock holding area? Is there a gasoline or diesel tank nearby? Where do you mix or load pesticides or chemicals for your lawn, garden or fields? Does dirty surface water flow nearby when it rains? Is it close to a road with lots of traffic? Think about where you are standing. Typically there is only about 50-200 feet of dirt, subsoil or rock between you and your source of fresh well water.

Many resources are available to help you answer your questions about safe drinking water. Learning about proper well location and maintenance is your best line of defense against a polluted water source. Keeping good records of the well installation, inspections and tests results will help to detect problems early and allow time to make necessary changes. For further information check out Penn State’s Master Well Owner Network http://mwon.cas.psu.edu (814-865-2250) or PA Ground Water Association www.ngwa.org or your local Conservation District.

Axel Linde is an advisor for the Solanco Young Farmers. He is also a member of the Penn State University Extension Lancaster Farms Project