10/24/2006

Otsego wells contaminated

High levels of nitrates found; cause is a mystery

BY SHERI McWHIRTER

sherimcwhirter@hotmail.com

Record-Eagle/Sheri McWhirter
Phyllis Huff now stores bottled water to drink and cook with after learning about nitrate contamination in the groundwater in her Elmira Township neighborhood.

ELMIRA — Families in one Otsego County neighborhood are told not to drink the water, especially infants and young children.

Trouble is, nobody knows why high levels of nitrate contamination recently were found in eight residential water wells on South Camp Ten Road in Elmira Township. Residents want swift answers from local and state officials, and while they wait, those who can afford to must drink bottled water.

"I know I quit drinking the water in May and I'm feeling a lot better," said Phyllis Huff, who is recovering from cancer.

She buys bottled water and fills up empty gallon jugs at a relative's house, she said.

But some of her neighbors spend as much as $70 a month on bottled water, all to avoid potential medical problems from nitrate contamination. Others cannot afford to do that.

"We just tend not to drink water now," said Jennifer Blanzy, who lives across the street from Huff.

Blanzy said she's had unexplained urinary tract infections and her nearly 2-year-old twin sons suffered digestion and vomiting problems when they drank formula mixed with their well water, Blanzy said.

"Now they're on milk and doing better," she said, but other children in the area have had medical problems, some quite severe.

She first learned of the water contamination when a health department official knocked on her front door this year, Blanzy said.

Bill Lubs is the Otsego County environmental health supervisor for Northwest Michigan Community Health Agency. High levels of nitrates can cause serious health problems for infants and children, including respiratory, digestive and blood disorders, he said. It's also a suspected carcinogen in very high doses.

Lubs said the contamination in Elmira Township currently can't be attributed to any illnesses in the area. However, the health department warned residents not to give the water to children, he said.

Anyone with concerns should have their water tested, Lubs said.

There are four typical reasons for high nitrate levels in groundwater, said Bob Pigg, groundwater monitoring coordinator for the Michigan Department of Agriculture. Those include pollution from nitrogen-based fertilizers, manure spreading, septic system problems and occasionally, natural deposits — atypical in this type of area, he said.

"What we see there could be the result of recent practices or practices dating back 25 or 30 years, or more," Pigg said.

He said an extensive review of local and state documents about the area is underway, along with continued testing of water wells and an investigation into local farming practices. The area is surrounded by rural potato and bean fields, some with irrigation systems.

"What we are trying to do is eliminate the source of the contamination," Pigg said, which is currently unknown. He said there also is no feasible way to clean up nitrate contamination, other than to let it drain away.

"Once we have more information, we'll have a better idea how long they may have nitrates in their water and whether digging deeper wells would be beneficial," Pigg said.

The study to identify the contamination source could take from several months to a year, he said.