Nitrate levels for the water district that serves the Yoder community are still too high. The Reno County Public Works Department says tests earlier this month show that Rural Water District 101’s nitrate levels remain above EPA guidelines. The EPA recommends that public water supplies have a nitrate level of 10 mg/l or less. The district’s nitrate level is 12 mg/L. High nitrate levels are especially dangerous for infants and can lead to a life-threatening condition called methemoglobinemia. It decreases the infant’s oxygen-carrying blood cells’ ability to transport oxygen across the body. Studies have also shown an increased risk of colon, kidney, and stomach cancer in those who ingest higher water nitrate and eat larger quantities of meat. High nitrate levels are often seen in agricultural communities — runoff from fertilized fields, animal waste, and septic systems can lead to higher nitrate levels in groundwater. Upon request, the county is providing bottled water to all households in the water district for those with increased risk due to nitrate exposure, including infants under 6 months of age, pregnant or nursing mothers, and other at-risk customers served by Rural Water District 101. Reno County has been working on a permanent solution to the nitrate problem.
Source: KSN-TV
