Water board expands nitrate control program

The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board has expanded its Nitrate Control Program (NCP) to eight more groundwater basins. Those basins are: Delta-Mendota, Eastern San Joaquin, Madera, Merced, Kern County (Poso & West-side South), Tulare Lake and Yolo.

Launched in 2021, the Central Valley Salinity Alternatives for Long-Term Sustainability (CV-SALTS) Nitrate Control Program has sampled more than 9,000 wells in Priority 1 basins and free replacement drinking water has been provided to over 1,800 households with nitrate impacted wells. Additionally, over 3.7 million gallons of safe drinking water have been distributed through bottled water deliveries and eight public water filling stations across the region.

“We are now in the fourth year of this program, and the results speak for themselves,” said Patrick Pulupa, Executive Officer for the Central Valley Water Board. “Expanding into more zones means thousands more families will have the peace of mind that comes with knowing their water is safe—or getting immediate help if it’s not.”

Nitrate in drinking water can lead to serious health issues, especially for infants and pregnant women. It is considered a risk to human health when it is above 10 parts per million (ppm) of nitrate nitrogen, which is the primary maximum contaminant level (MCL), also known as the nitrate drinking water standard.

The Nitrate Control Program is a collaborative effort between the Central Valley Water Board, management zone leaders, and the regulated community. The Central Valley Water Board early last year issued over 900 notices to comply to dischargers in these areas—including growers, dairies, industrial facilities, and wastewater plants—requiring them to begin well testing and to provide free replacement water where nitrate contamination exceeds health standards.

Residents and dischargers can learn more about the CV-SALTS Nitrate Control Program at www.cvsalinity.org.