>> ON THIS PROGRAM LAST WEEK, WE
HEARD FROM A VILLAGE WHOSE
PRIVATE WELL WATER IS
CONTAMINATED WITH NITRATE.
THIS WEEK, "HERE AND NOW"
REPORTER NATHAN DENZIN TAKES US
BACK TO NELSONVILLE TO FIND OUT
WHERE THE NITRATE IS COMING FROM
AND WHAT RESIDENTS CAN DO ABOUT
THEIR CONTAMINATED WATER.
>> IT DOESN'T TASTE ANY
DIFFERENT.
IT DOESN'T LOOK ANY DIFFERENT.
NO SMELL TO IT.
IT TASTES GREAT.
>> WHAT HE FOUND OUT IS HIS
FAMILY'S PRIVATE WELL WATER HAD
UNSAFE NITRATE LEVELS, A PROBLEM
RESIDENTS IN THE SMALL VILLAGE
OF NELSONVILLE IN PORTAGE COUNTY
LEARNED ABOUT BACK IN 2018.
THE TWO CONTRIBUTORS UNDER THE
MICRO SCOPE MANURE FROM FARM
ANIMALS OR SEPTIC SYSTEMS THAT
LEAK HUMAN WASTE.
PORTAGE COUNTY WATER RESOURCE
SPECIALIST JEN MCNELLY SAYS
SCIENTIFIC WATER TESTING SHOWED
NIGH RATES ARE LARGELY COMING
FROM AGRICULTURE.
>> PROBABLY NOT BY AND LARGE THE
LARGEST CONTRIBUTING SOURCE OF
IT IS SEWER.
>> GORDONDALE FARMS WITH OVER
1,000 COWS.
ITS OWNER AND HIS FAMILY HAVE
BEEN FARMING THIS LAND NEAR
NELSONVILLE SINCE 1900.
>> I THINK WE HAVE TO BE REALLY
CAREFUL WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE
SCIENCE SHOWS.
WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE MORE
RESEARCH ON THAT.
THEY SEEM TO HAVE DISMISSED
SEPTIC.
>> GORDON SAYS HE ACCEPTS
FARMING FROM IMPACT DRINKING
WATER BUT HE IS NOT CONVINCED
HIS OWN FARM IS.
>> OUR TAKE ON THE NITRATES FROM
OUR STANDPOINT IS OUR FARM HAS
ALWAYS HAD A PLAN SINCE 1981 AND
FOLLOWED EVERY REGULATION PUT
FORTH TO US.
SO TO BE HONEST, IT IS QUITE A
PUZZLE.
WHERE IS IT COMING FROM?
WHAT IS THE DEAL?
>> BY ALL ACCOUNTS GORDONDALE
FARMS HAS FOLLOWED EVERY DNR
NITRATE REGULATION AND IN RECENT
YEARS GONE FURTHER.
IN MOST PLOTS NEAR THE VILLAGE,
GORDON SAYS HIS FARM PLANTS
ALFALFA OR ITALIAN RYE GRASS
THAT SOAK UP MORE NITRATE IN
SOIL THAN CORN.
DESPITE THE EFFORTS AND ABIDING
BY REGULATIONS AGRICULTURE
REMAINS THE LIKELY CULPRIT IN
PART BECAUSE DNR RULES DON'T
ACCOUNT FOR THE SANDY SOILS IN
THE REGION.
ALSO WATER FLOW ITSELF AFFECTS
WHAT KIND OF WASTE, AGRICULTURAL
OR SEPTIC, IS ENDING UP IN
WELLS.
PETE ARNTSEN IS A HYDROLOGIST
FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP.
>> BECAUSE OF THE HYDRO GEOLOGY
THE WATER FROM THE SEPTIC SYSTEM
PASSES ABOVE ALL THE WELLS AND
DISCHARGES TO THE RIVER AND
REALLY ISN'T THE ISSUE.
>> BECAUSE WELLS DRAW FROM
GROUNDWATER, CONTAMINATION CAN
COME FROM MILES AWAY AND TAKE
YEARS TO END UP IN THE DRINKING
WATER.
AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES LIKE THE
ONES GORDON HAS TURNED TO CAN
REDUCE THE NITRATES IN PRIVATE
WELLS.
BUT ACCORDING TO SCIENTIST
GEORGE KRAFT IT CAN ALSO TAKE
YEARS.
EVEN DECADES.
>> I THINK WE'D BE ALMOST OUT OF
THE WOODS, SIGNIFICANTLY IN 8,
10 YEARS AND MAYBE MOSTLY OR
ENTIRELY IN 2025.
>> IN AUGUST, THE DNR TOLD
GORDONDALE FARMS IT HAD TO
INSTALL THREE MONITORING WELLS
ON ITS PROPERTY.
GORDON IS FIGHTING THAT IN
COURT.
FOR ITS PART, THE VILLAGE ALSO
HOPES TO USE A QUARTER MILLION
DOLLARS IN FEDERAL FUNDS TO
INSTALL ITS OWN MONITORING
WELLS.
SO FIGHTS OVER THE MONITORING
WELLS AND WHO IS AT FAULT FOR
THE CONTAMINATION IS FRAC
TOURING THE COMMUNITY.
>> I WOULD SAY THAT A LOT OF
PEOPLE ARE ANGRY.
>> LISA ANDERSON IS A CLEAN
WATER ADVOCATE WHO LIVES IN
NELSONVILLE.
>> WE HAVE BEEN ACCUSED OF
HAVING AN AGENDA.
WE'VE BEEN TARGETED ON SOCIAL
MEDIA.
>> TEMPERS ARE DEFINITELY HIGH.
>> I'M SURE -- WE EITHER GET A
PLUGGED NOSE OR GET A FINGER.
THE SAD PART, WE'RE BUSY
FIGHTING EACH OTHER.
I UNDERSTAND CLEAN WATER IS
EVERYONE'S RIGHT, BUT IF YOU ARE
GOING TO LIVE OUT HERE IN
PARADISE, IT'S YOUR
RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE CARE OF
YOUR WELL AND TAKE CARE OF YOUR
SEPTIC SYSTEM.
>> THE SPEND $10,000 ON A WELL
FOR MOST OF US IS A MAJOR
EXPENSE AND MANY CAN'T AFFORD
IT.
AND I THINK MANY OF US FEEL LIKE
WHY SHOULD WE HAVE TO?
>> GORDON ALSO SAYS HE CAN'T
AFFORD THE MONITORING WELLS HE
IS ORDERED TO DIG AND IT COULD
PUT HIM OUT OF BUSINESS.
VILLAGE RESIDENTS SAY THEY DON'T
WANT THAT.
THEY JUST WANT CLEAN WATER.
>> I'M NOT ANTI-AG.
JUST GET THAT OUT OF THE WAY.
IT'S NOT THE FARMER AT ALL.
THEY ARE WORKING AS HARD AS THEY
CAN TO MAKE A GOOD LIVING AND
THAT'S FAIR.
>> STILL, RESIDENTS SAY THE
STATE SHOULD IMPOSE NEW
REGULATIONS FOR THE CENTRAL
SANDS REGION TO PROTECT THE
GROUNDWATER.
>> THE RULE IS THE PROBLEM.
SO THE DNR NEEDS TO STEP UP AND
FIX THIS ISSUE IN MY MIND.
>> FOR "HERE AND NOW" I'M NATHAN