There’s a public health threat from nitrates in groundwater in southern Deschutes County. But how much of a threat and what should be done?

The answer is complicated and so far unanswered.

Private wells should be tested for contaminants, including nitrates every year. If a family is on a municipal water system, that testing is done for them. Children — and especially infants — need to be protected from drinking water with nitrate contamination.

The concern in southern Deschutes County is “nutrients from septic systems are seeping into the area’s porous, volcanic soil and the aquifer that is used as a primary drinking water source,” Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality says.

The DEQ has called on Deschutes County Commissioners to consider how to respond. One option: Ask the Oregon Health Authority to perform what is called a health consultation or environmental health assessment. The health authority told us a health consultation would attempt to answer a series of questions, including:

Can people come into contact with enough of the contamination to affect their health?

What are the community’s concerns?

What future health risks may result from the site?

What actions are recommended to protect public health from site hazards?

What types of outreach and education will help the community prevent or reduce their exposure?

How can state and federal agencies best protect public health in site cleanup decisions?

It would likely take 4-6 months to complete.

When Deschutes County Commissioners met with officials from DEQ recently, they discussed asking the health authority to do such a health consultation. If they aren’t going to take that step, what are they going to do?

The public health threat from nitrate contamination will grow as more homes with septic systems are added in southern Deschutes County.