High concentrations of nitrogen compounds in drinking water continue to be a major environmental concern for the Sierra Club Water and Wetlands Stewards. Although nitrogen is a natural and essential nutrient for plants and a key component in the process of photosynthesis, high concentrations in drinking water are harmful to human health, especially that of babies.
Consumption of concentrations of nitrogen at or greater than 10 milligrams per liter of drinking water is associated with the impairment of hemoglobin's capacity to transport oxygen. Bottle-fed babies under six months old are at elevated risk of developing “blue baby syndrome” due to insufficient blood oxygen concentrations.
The potential health effects of high nitrate/nitrite concentrations on adults include increased heart rate, nausea, headaches, and abdominal cramps. There may also be an increased risk of cancer.
Drinking water contamination is particularly prevalent in some agricultural counties and is tied to the use of nitrate fertilizers. On November 3, 2023, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) asked the Minnesota Department of Health and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture for a plan to reduce drinking water nitrate contamination in Dodge, Fillmore, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Wabasha, and Winona counties. The Minnesota agencies’ response to the EPA is linked here.