MORE ON: nitrates

Nitrogen emissions from car exhaust and industrial sources might be increasing forest fires across the California desert by fueling the spread of invasive grasses, according to a new report by the Ecological Society of America. Agricultural nitrogen is also causing groundwater contamination in the... + read more

Water quality regulators in the Central Valley and Central Coast regions are weeks away from voting on the first comprehensive requirements governing groundwater quality under farms. Farmers are balking at the rules, but environmental groups say they aren't nearly strong enough to protect... + read more

Millions of Californians have been exposed to harmful levels of nitrates in their water over the past 15 years. Many rely on private wells that have no public health oversight, while cities have spent millions on water treatment plants. + read more

Farmers and state officials are exploring solutions to nitrate leaching in heavily impacted parts of the state, including solutions that go beyond paying millions of dollars for a treatment plant. But some proposals are more controversial than others. + read more

Visit families who can’t drink water from the tap and a school without water fountains because of nitrate contamination. + read more

Blue baby syndrome occurs when infants or small children ingest water contaminated with nitrates. Examine how it occurs. + read more