A group of rural Boardman residents assemble in a garage to speak with U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley about nitrates in Boardman, Ore., Jan. 20, 2023.
Antonio Sierra / OPB
A water pollution crisis has been unfolding in Eastern Oregon for decades. Contamination of the Lower Umatilla Basin’s groundwater with excess nitrates — a naturally occurring chemical also found in fertilizer — has meant residents of Morrow and Umatilla Counties who get their water from private wells are struggling to access clean drinking water. Though the issue has been a known problem for over thirty years, nitrate pollution there is only getting worse, and some residents are still just learning about the risks to their health.
Monica Samayoa, OPB’s climate and environment reporter, and Antonio Sierra, OPB’s rural communities reporter, have been covering the area’s worsening nitrate pollution for years. They join us to talk about how we got here, what’s being done about it, and what locals without clean water still need.
Listen to all episodes of The Evergreen podcast here.