Researchers are finding high levels of fertilizer in drinking water from rural Kansas wells

College students are testing private wells in south-central Kansas. The results are prompting families to install treatment systems to reduce nitrate levels.
Matthew Kirk has an unpleasant task: breaking the news to families about fertilizer chemicals in their drinking water.

The Kansas State University geology professor and his collaborators check for nitrogen pollution in the private wells that so many rural households depend on.

“Most of the well owners that I've talked to,” Kirk said, “this isn’t something that’s really on their radar.”

Researchers aim to test about 150 private wells in south-central Kansas in Barton, Stafford, Pawnee, Edwards, Rice, Pratt and Kiowa counties.

Students and scientists from K-State and Barton and Dodge City community colleges have teamed up to test about 90 so far.

Of those, half contain more nitrate than federal regulators allow in public water systems.

“Of those that didn’t,” Kirk said, “a lot of them were pretty darn close.”