Coalition urges EPA, HHS to address nitrate contamination in drinking water

A coalition of 83 environmental, public health and advocacy organizations is urging federal officials to take emergency action on nitrate contamination in drinking water tied to industrial agriculture.

In a letter sent to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Lee Zeldin, the groups called on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to address nitrate pollution from sources such as synthetic fertilizer runoff and factory farm waste.

The letter follows a recent report from the Iowa Environmental Council and the Harkin Institute that identified Iowa as having the nation’s highest levels of nitrate contamination in waterways and linked the pollution to elevated cancer rates. According to the report, Iowa ranks second nationally in cancer incidence and is one of only three states where cancer rates continue to rise.

The groups cited research indicating that roughly one in five Americans are exposed to nitrates in drinking water, with industrial agriculture identified as a major contributor nationwide. They also argued that health risks associated with nitrate exposure may occur at concentrations below the current federal drinking water limit of 10 mg/L.

Among the requests outlined in the letter, the coalition urged EPA to act on a 2024 emergency petition filed under the Safe Drinking Water Act seeking additional protections for Iowa drinking water supplies.

Food & Water Watch Senior Attorney Tyler Lobell said nitrate pollution has reached “crisis levels” and called for federal agencies to intervene to protect public health. The letter was also supported by organizations including the Union of Concerned Scientists and the Environmental Law & Policy Center.