Watching Out for Oregon’s Well Water

Guest blog by Amy Patton, Hydrogeologist in Southern Oregon

In the United States, we expect that when we turn on our tap at home, clean, potable water will come out – water that we can drink, cook with, and bathe in without consequence.  This is mostly a reasonable expectation – if you are supplied by a public water system that is regularly tested and overseen by the health department.

For many of Oregon’s 660,000 rural residents, however, it is important to realize that if you are not paying attention to your water quality, no one is.

In 1989, the legislature attempted to assist new rural home buyers by requiring testing of drinking water wells for nitrate and bacteria at property transfer; arsenic was later added to the list of required tests. The database of test results has allowed identification of areas of nitrate contamination (generally as a result of fertilizer, manure or septic system leaching) and where arsenic is present.  Bacteria contamination is also common, but generally a result of a more localized source.

In recent years, as a hydrogeologist, I have conducted 21 targeted public education presentations relating to water quality protection for over 850 rural residents in Jackson and Josephine Counties.  With the help of agency partners and volunteers, over 750 wells were tested for nitrate, many for the first time.

Although most residents find no nitrate contamination in their wells, about 20% of the wells tested showed some level of nitrate contamination.  And there are always a few wells (4-5%) that have nitrate above the drinking water standard set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Those are always the toughest conversations.  Our events are set up so that well owners drop off their samples and either watch the educational presentation or go about their business (at a garden fair, perhaps) and then retrieve their test results later.  

Last spring, one young family came up, babe in arms and another in a stroller, to pick up their results.  When I looked at the test results, my face fell.  Their results had tested off the charts – higher than our equipment could even register.  And they had an infant – the most vulnerable population for high nitrate – susceptible even to death – since nitrate can decrease the ability of the blood to carry oxygen to tissues.  I began by telling them that the nitrate concentrations in their well water were excessively high and that they should stop drinking and cooking with the water immediately.  I warned them that their children were at greatest risk from nitrate ingestion and explained that this can cause Methemoglobinemia, or blue-baby syndrome, in infants.  The young father turned pale and asked “is that why our baby’s fingertips and lips were turning blue this winter?” Then I paled.  Those are exactly the symptoms I have always heard were a possible result of high nitrate ingestion.  We talked some more and he explained that he had thought the baby was cold and covered him with blankets – but that wasn’t what he wanted.  They were very lucky they didn’t lose the baby – probably because the mother nursed for his first 6 months and the effects of nitrate are reduced through that process.  The symptoms had begun when the baby started on formula.  Now, the parents are worried that the baby’s low growth rate may have been a side effect and hope that his brain has developed normally.

Frustratingly, this family, and several other families to whom I have had to pass on the bad news of high nitrate contamination of their water supply, are renting.  The landlords, either through ignorance or negligence, have not tested their tenant’s drinking water wells or not supplied them with information about the test results.  The tenants had a right to expect they would be provided potable water when they rented a rural home.  Some, located close to town, may not have even known that the house was on a well and not supplied by the city.

County MapThe Oregon Environmental Council recognizes this issue as a social justice, environmental protection, and environmental health issue and has worked with legislators, public health organizations and rural landowners to craft a bill that would require landlords to provide well testing information to tenants at the start of a lease.  

The bill – HB 2404 – also requires the Oregon Health Authority to provide public education in areas with area-wide contamination and creates a fund to assist low income property owners and landlords to install treatment systems or make repairs to improve drinking water quality.  If passed, well-funded, and judiciously implemented, this bill will do much to prevent the unknowing ingestion of contaminated drinking water in the future, benefitting thousands of Oregonians.

HB 2404 is currently in committee with a public hearing expected soon.

 

Related Posts
Filter by
Post Page
Water News Featured Policy Water Conservation Water Action Climate Protection Air Quality OEC News/Updates/Events Transportation Solutions Toxics-Free Environments Environmental Health Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Rural Partnerships Eco-Healthy Homes
Sort by

What we’re watching: Water

NOTE: This blog has been updated with the status of each bill as of the end of the 2019 Legislative Session. Read OEC’s 2019 legislative wrap-up here. April marked the first major deadline for bills moving forward in the Oregon Legislature this year and the midway point of the 2019 session. Of more than 2,700 bills and r
April 25, 2019, 10:10 pm
stacey

9

oregon state capitol with "action alert: one-click" and a graphic of groundwater

Support Sustainable Groundwater Management in Oregon!

Effective groundwater quality management is crucial for ensuring clean, reliable water for millions of Oregonians, and countless ecosystems. But as things stand, our state lacks the means to manage it effectively. By making much-needed revisions to the 1989 Groundwater Quality Management Act, SB 1154 will improve the process of identifying and reducing groundwater contamination to keep this vital resource safe. Tell your legislators to support SB 1154, and
June 6, 2025, 2:51 pm
klew

0

The words Action Alert: One Click with an image of the Oregon state capitol and dollar bills with the earth as the center of the bill.

ACT! Fund a STRONG Climate Justice Budget for Oregon

Lawmakers are finalizing the state budget for the next two years. Now is the time to speak up for a strong Climate Justice Budget that protects the environment, uplifts communities, lowers energy bills, and creates clean energy jobs across the state. Use the form below to email your state legislators and urge them to invest in proven programs that deliver for Oregonians. **Please Note: We recommend you
May 16, 2025, 12:34 pm
robinr

0

Image of the Oregon Capitol with the words "Action Alert - one click" and a mouse cursor clicking near the words "Action Alert" and a graphic of a train, a bike and a dotted line indicating a trail with a dollar icon.

Tell Lawmakers to Fund a Transportation Package For ALL Oregonians

Oregon is about to make some big transportation decisions that will affect us for decades. Unfortunately, lawmakers are starting from a framework that falls dramatically short on what we need. We need fair funding, accountability, and more robust investments in safety, transit, and pollution reduction. Tell your legislators that the stakes are too high to settle for less. **Please Note: We recommend
May 15, 2025, 3:05 pm
robinr

0

Image of a semi truck entering Oregon on the highway with the words "Breaking News. Clean Truck Rules Delayed. Read Our Joint Statement on the Impact to Oregon."

BREAKING: Polluters Push Oregon Backward on Clean Air, Public Health, and Climate Action

Today, Oregon’s Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) rule was delayed by two years. Predictably, oil and gas interests orchestrated a multi-state campaign to derail similar policies in other states. Their successful attacks now include Oregon’s ACT rules.
May 15, 2025, 10:42 am
robinr

0

Bikes, Trains, Buses, and Walkable Streets: The Future Oregonians Want

Today, 100+ Oregonians are rallying in Salem to deliver a message shared by more than a thousand during a legislative listening tour last summer – public and active transportation is equally important no matter where you live in Oregon.
April 17, 2025, 5:30 am
kristopherf

0

"It

Forever Chemicals in Oregon? Not If We Stop Them.

PFAS are called “forever chemicals” for a reason: once they’re in the environment, they stick around – causing harm for generations. This group of synthetic chemicals are added to products to deflect heat, grease, and water. But, instead of helping, these toxic chemicals are cau
March 13, 2025, 4:45 pm
crystal2530

0

Move Oregon Forward: A Coalition and Vision for Our Transportation Future

There’s a big problem happening in our transportation system today, and it’s been decades in the making. The Oregon Department of Transportation is facing a $1.8 billion deficit. If this is not met, ODOT staff have sai
January 21, 2025, 6:20 pm
kristopherf

0

image of high voltage transmission lines in front of a pretty blue sky and fluffy clouds.

The Clean Grid Explained: Key Terms for Understanding How Electricity Moves in Oregon

January 17, 2025, 11:15 am
robinr

0

Image of Smith Rock Sate Park in Oregon that transitions from black and white on the left to full color on the right.

Building on the Past: A Journey Into the Heart of Oregon’s Activism

by Meagan Golec, Major Gifts Officer When I was hired at OEC three years ago, I had a lot of nonprofit experience but had never worked in the environmental sphere. I came equipped with a deep love and appreciation for wild spaces, and a strong belief that we need a healthy environment to thrive. I knew that Oregon was considered an
November 27, 2024, 3:28 pm
mcadmin

0

3 Replies to "Watching Out for Oregon’s Well Water"

  • Andy P Lushenko
    April 29, 2018 (7:02 pm)

    I live in Saint Paul, Oregon and for the last several months (10) have noticed the water has smelled very Bad, Saint Paul is on well water and has been for decades. I have learned that the City well is in much !!!!!!!!! need to be cleaned and it has been more then twenty plus yrs since the well was cleaned and the lining of the well is in bad shape. I’m not sure if the local Government leadership is going to take any action. It appears the well issue is in conflict with the City Council.

    The fact that the Well Water smells so badly !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and the Well is in need of cleaning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thought you Flok’s might be interested.

  • Know what’s in your well | Oregon Environmental Council
    March 28, 2019 (5:47 pm)

    […] infants because their digestive and enzyme systems are not fully developed. High levels of nitrates can cause infants to suffer from “Blue Baby Syndrome,” which decreases the ability of blood to carry oxygen and can be […]

  • What we're watching: Water | Oregon Environmental Council
    April 26, 2019 (7:30 pm)

    […] have the right to know what’s in your water. Domestic well water can be contaminated by bacteria, nitrates, and arsenic, among other things—all of which can have serious health impacts. In reality, most […]