How do Nitrates get into drinking water?
Fertilizers such as potassium Nitrate and ammonium Nitrate are a primary source of Nitrates in drinking water. When applied to fields, Nitrates easily leach into soil and ultimately into water aquifers. In areas of heavy fertilizer usage, as in the strawberry fields of northern Monterey County and parts of the Salinas Valley, Nitrate contamination of aquifers is of serious concern. Also, in areas of concentrated belowground sewage disposal, Nitrate-rich seepage from septic systems is a significant contributor to the problem of groundwater pollution. Because they do not evaporate, Nitrates are likely to remain dissolved, and to concentrate, in groundwater.
