Oregon’s Nitrate Nightmare

Eastern Oregon is facing a water crisis of its own, with nitrate contaminating several domestic wells in Morrow and Umatilla counties. Nitrate contamination can cause several health issues affecting the respiratory system, the thyroid, stomach, and bladder. More than 3,200 households in the region use this water, putting them at extreme risk for these dangerous health conditions; only 1,700 of those households have been tested using a free well water test. The water is, for the most part, safe to drink now, but as nitrate levels in the groundwater rise, more people will face the fatal effects of nitrate contamination. Read more here.