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DEQ reports nitrate in majority of sampled wells; two exceed EPA safe limit in Southern Deschutes County
Summary
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality reported nitrate detections in 65 of 100 domestic wells sampled in Southern Deschutes County; three wells exceeded the state's action level and two exceeded the EPA maximum contaminant level, county and DEQ officials said at the Feb. 3 Board of Commissioners meeting.
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) told the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners on Feb. 3 that a statewide groundwater sampling effort in Southern Deschutes County detected nitrate in 65 of 100 domestic wells sampled and that 3 wells exceeded the state action level of 7 milligrams per liter; 2 of those wells measured above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency—s maximum contaminant level (MCL) for nitrate of 10 mg/L, the highest at 23 mg/L.
Why it matters: Nitrate is both a direct health concern at high levels and a tracer that can indicate partially treated wastewater reaching drinking water. County and DEQ officials said the data are a snapshot; a full DEQ laboratory analysis and a possible trends analysis are still pending and will be used to put the raw results in context for residents and public-health agencies.
DEQ—s Greg Swayland, regional solutions program, told the board DEQ sampled roughly 100 domestic wells in Southern Deschutes County in the most recent event (spring 2023 to spring 2024) and that prior monitoring in the area includes sampling campaigns in 1995, 2000, 2001, 2014 and other dates.…
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