Brown winter in Spring Green
The water in Spring Green is polluted with nitrates, and its town board chair thinks that's just fine.
By
David Giffey
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The problem of ground water pollution is wide spread throughout Wisconsin and midwest due to large scale Ag operation. These operations tend to produce more nitrates than the crops that they can grow use and over application of waste products is common. Another concern when high nitrates are present in ground water is the presents of other inorganic chemicals (Ag related). These could pose a greater health issues then the nitrates. Until the State becomes more proactive in protecting our groundwater resources the problem will continue to increase.
-J. Timmons | Amery, WI | August 2, 2012
Yes the EPA MCL for nitrate in drinking water is 10 mg/L, but numerous studies are showing any amount of nitrate-nitrogen in drinking water is hazardous ( see: http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/search/simpleSearch.action?sort=&query=Nitrates+in+drinking+water&ELocationId=&startPage=1&id=&filterArticleType=&pageSize=10&unformattedQuery=&filterKeyword=&filterSubjects=&volume=&filterJournals=)
Even more problematic in agricultural areas is the proliferation of atrazine and it's metabolites. Though banned in the Wisconsin River valley sands which includes the Spring Green area, atrazine is endemic in numerous rural wells. One would think that a government that values it's citizens would have an extensive testing/remedial program for those on private wells( after all isn't health problem prevention cheaper than treatment). Coupled with the increase of GMO foods, and the pesticide resistant super weed they cause it's only a matter of time before compounds such as 2,4D begain showing up in people's wells.
-Dole O'Mite | Waukesha County | August 2, 2012
I bet the lack of rain this summer is exacerbating the problems with groundwater. There is no natural cleansing and leaching.
-Pietr Haikuu | Hurley, Wis | August 3, 2012
