Article: Taming Nitrate: A Solution Without Waste

Nitrogen is an essential component for life, yet too much of it can be a bad thing. Excess nitrates from the large-scale use of agricultural fertilizers, concentrated animal feeding operations, and releases of partially treated sewerage make their way into the groundwater supply and have become one of the world's most prevalent contaminants. In the US alone, it is estimated that over 10,000 public water supply wells are currently impacted with high-levels of nitrate. Studies across Western Europe and Asia, including the UK, France, Spain, and Japan have further identified thousands of wells with nitrate concentrations at or above established health standards, with potential impacts to as many as 10 million people.