Many Nebraskans Still Under Threat of High Nitrate in Drinking Water, Report Finds

In 2023, nearly 29,000 households scattered across rural Nebraska received postcards instructing them how to get their drinking water tested, free of charge, for a harmful contaminant state policymakers have been aware of for decades.

It was the state’s largest-ever effort to test registered domestic wells, which most Nebraskans who live outside of a town use to shower, cook and drink. Unlike public water systems in cities and towns, these wells aren’t subject to regular testing and treatment. And many are pumping out water that’s high in nitrate, the state testing shows.

Some 40% of private wells tested in the past two years contained nitrate that exceeded 3 parts per million — the level that one Nebraska medical expert considers safe for children. About 15% exceeded the federal drinking water standard, the level that would trigger mandatory treatment if it were a public water well.