WAHOO, Neb. (KMTV) — High levels of Nitrates in groundwater aren’t unusual for Northeastern Nebraska and unfortunately, those nitrates, if consumed in large concentrations or over a long period of time, can cause a range of health issues, especially for the elderly, newborns and their mothers.
In larger communities water is treated to remove nitrates but many of the wells that rural Nebraskans use don’t receive the same treatment.
Officials with the Lower Platte North NRD offer testing for Nitrates and coming up on Monday, they will partner with Newman Grove’s FFA chapter to provide on the spot nitrate testing at no cost for well owners.
“Your domestic wells cannot be as deep as irrigation wells. Nitrates will be on top of the aquifers so they will hit the nitrates sooner. That’s where we want to make sure you test your wells. Test your wells, test your wells, test your wells, I’ll keep repeating it because that’s the only way we are gonna know,” said Daryl Andersen, Water Resources manager for the Lower Platte North NRD.
Finding high levels of Nitrates can be concerning but there are resources available to help pull nitrates out of your water, and the Department of Environment and Energy, offers its own programs to help you cover the cost.
“Right now the state of Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy has a rebate program on reverse osmosis systems. It’s an RO unit, you put it under your sink a lot of the time and it filters the nitrates as it goes through your water system,” said Andersen.
Samples can be submitted to the Lower Platte North NRD and will be tested on Monday, Nov. 20 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
