… The leafy greens and other produce grown in the Salinas Valley need lots of fertilizer, but that demand plus the fact that most of these crops have shallow roots, means it’s easy for extra nitrogen to get into the groundwater here. It dissolves in water and sinks below the roots, eventually reaching the aquifer. And once it’s there, nitrate—which is the form of nitrogen most fertilizers take—is hard to remove. … That’s part of the challenge for the Central Coast, where over 14,000 people rely on water with dangerous levels of nitrates that can elevate risks of cancers, thyroid problems and blue baby syndrome.

Other water pollution news:

• Los Angeles Public Press: New California law could bring more polluting factories to LA’s hardest-hit areas​
• Headwaters Economics: Blog: Reclaiming abandoned mines can protect against harmful and costly flood disasters