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Task force hears shrinking sources, rising nitrate risk and SRF funding shortfalls threaten small-town drinking water
Summary
KDHE warned that many small public water systems face compliance challenges as sources shrink and nitrate concentrations rise; members were told federal SRF funding uncertainty and congressional earmarks will reduce loan availability, and several small-community grant programs were described.
Leo Henning of KDHE told the task force that small public water systems are the most likely to face health-based violations and infrastructure expense. "Of the 73 PWS systems that ... have violations, 71% of those serve a population of 500 or less," Henning said, and he added that 96.5% of Kansans get drinking water from a public water system.
The agency identified nitrates in groundwater as a major and growing compliance challenge. Henning described the federal MCL of 10 milligrams per liter for nitrates and said EPA conversations point toward a potential future tightening (he cited a hypothetical drop to 5 mg/L), which he warned would put many systems at risk: "If that's true, then every city or every PWS system on this map would be out of compliance." Henning said nitrate problems are hardest for small…
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