Morrow County declares emergency over high nitrate levels in wells

Groundwater is the primary drinking source for Morrow County residents. But that groundwater has been plagued by high levels of nitrates.

The state designated Morrow and Umatilla counties as groundwater management areas more than 30 years ago. A committee was formed to address the issue and identify activities that contribute to the contamination.

But state data shows the nitrate problem has only gotten worse.

“It’s been an ongoing issue,” Morrow County Commissioner Chair Jim Doherty said. “It’s not something that just hit us in the last week, and we’ve been approaching it from lots of different angles.”

Drinking high levels of nitrate can lead to respiratory infections, thyroid dysfunction and stomach or bladder cancer. It can also cause “blue baby syndrome,” which decreases the blood’s capacity to carry oxygen, especially in infants drinking baby formula mixed with contaminated water. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, nitrate levels exceeding 10 milligrams per liter can cause serious health effects.

Earlier this year, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality fined the Port of Morrow $1.3 million for overapplying 165 tons of nitrogen-rich wastewater onto agricultural fields over a four-year period and failing to monitor the nitrate contamination.