Department of Health and Human Services

Contamination of Private Drinking Well Water by Nitrates

Hog waste stored in lagoons and applied to fields, and accumulations of poultry waste, release excess nitrogen into nearby groundwater and into wells. Nitrate contamination is unhealthy, especially for babies. Babies under six months of age who drink nitrate-contaminated water may develop blue baby syndrome (methemoglobinemia), in which the infant's red blood cells are unable to carry sufficient oxygen. This condition can be serious and sometimes even fatal. When contaminated well water is boiled to make baby formula, the boiling concentrates the nitrates in the water and increases the potential health risk to the child.

For more information on nitrates in well water, see "Is Your Well Water Safe?" (Spanish version: ¿Es Segura el Agua de su Pozo?)

To have your well water tested, contact your local health department, ask for the Environmental Health Unit, and request that they sample your water. It is important for them to test for the following: inorganics (including nitrates); organics (including pesticides and volatile organic compounds or VOCs); and biologics (including coliforms and fecal coliforms). If you have questions about this process, you can call Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology at (919) 707-5900 and ask to speak with a staff member about well water testing.

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