© ShutterstockCalifornia farm.
One in 10 people living in a productive agricultural area of central California is at risk for
nitrate contamination in their drinking water, according to a new report.
The report detailed the levels and of sources of nitrate contamination in the Tulare Lake Basin, which includes Fresno and Bakersfield, and the Salinas Valley.
Nitrogen in organic and synthetic fertilizers has dramatically increased crop production in California in recent decades. However, excess nitrate in groundwater has been linked to
thyroid illnesses, reproductive problems and some cancers. The contamination seen now has likely been accumulating for decades and could pose a risk for years to come, the report said.
In the new report, researchers from the University of California, Davis examined data from wastewater treatment plants, septic systems, parks, lawns, golf courses, and farms, and from samples from more than 17,000 wells in the region.
The report found that 10 percent of the 2.6 million people in the Tulare Lake Basin and Salinas Valley rely on groundwater that may have more nitrate than the standard of 45 milligrams per liter set by the California Department of Public Health for public water systems. About 34,000 people in the region use water from private wells or largely unregulated water systems, the report said.
Comment: "Even a meteor strike", eh?
Maybe they are taking note of the incredible number of fireballs entering the atmosphere:
9 March: Fireball Spotted Over North Georgia
4 March: Meteor Shower Dazzles Victorians Lucky Enough to See It
4 March: Thousands Witness Spectacular Fireball Streak Over UK
2 March: Fireball seen from southern Norway and Sweden
2 March: Green Fireball Seen All Over Southeastern Canada
1 March: Green Object Reported in the Sky Over Newfoundland
29 February: What Was The Bright Flash In The Sky Tuesday Night?
22 February: "Huge fireball" streaks through Edmonton sky
22 February: Meteor Rain in China
14 February: Exploding UFO Wakes Thousands in South Carolina
12 February: Exploding Fireball recorded over Okayama, Japan
5 February: Fireball with huge tail seen over Western Australia
5 February: Fireball Photographed Over Corfu, Greece
4 February: East coast of US lights up as another enormous fireball streaks through sky
2 February: Huge Fireball Over Tokyo, 2 February 2012
1 February: Wednesday night's Texas meteor so bright it was seen in Kansas
1 February: Halifax 'fireball' probably a meteor
British nuclear plants are also being upgraded against anticipated effects of 'climate change':