Nitrogen pollution threatens US drinking water

A new study warns that nitrogen pollution is increasingly jeopardizing the quality and availability of drinking water in the United States.

Robyn White reports for Newsweek.

In short:

• Scientists predict that nitrogen pollution could contaminate a third of the world's drinking water by 2025, affecting up to 3 billion people.
• The U.S., South China, Central Europe, and Africa are identified as potential hotspots for water scarcity due to nitrogen pollution.
• The study emphasizes the need for urgent action in water resource management, considering both water quantity and quality.

Key quote:

"We are surprised that water pollution by nitrogen aggravates water scarcity in more than one-fifth of the sub-basins worldwide."

— Mengru Wang, assistant professor at Wageningen University & Research.

Why this matters:

This issue highlights a critical environmental challenge, where water scarcity and pollution intersect, potentially impacting billions. It underscores the importance of addressing water quality in policy decisions, especially in the context of climate change and urbanization.

In one Montana ag basin, drinking wells test at twice the federal health standard for nitrate pollution. That's a problem on many levels.