Yakima Valley has a problem and it involves contaminated groundwater laced with nitrates and other nasty pollutants. Farm workers in the area, low income Latino farm workers, have been drinking this water for years, and only recently found out from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that the groundwater in their area was not really fit to be drinking.

The EPA is presently working on two different ideas to see what they can do to fix the problem, but are somewhat hampered by the fact they are having trouble finding the source of the contamination. In the meantime, more than 30,000 residents have been swilling this water every day; water high in nitrates that may harm infants and people that have compromised immune systems. The least expensive method to deal with water like this is to invest in water distillers or a home water distillation system for a safe supply of water in the home.

The overall problem is that the contamination isn"��t just nitrates, as many of the people who live in this area are serviced by private wells that are long past being new, are leaky and situated quite close to feedlots, dairies and irrigation drainage systems. Nothing like having fecal coliform in the water as well; another potentially deadly contaminant.

The real truth about this Valley was highlighted in 2008, when a local paper did a story on the drinking water problem. It took until 2010 for the federal government to ask the well owners if it was OK to test their drinking water. There are close to 550 wells to test; quite the daunting task. Why it took two years for this to happen is anyone"��s guess, and this may be too little, too late for some of the Valley residents.

The county wants to be able to take control of groundwater management for the future so they can test local groundwater for contamination. If they do find nitrates "�" and one imagines, given the fact they already have found them "�" authorities would caution farmers to better manage their farms and agricultural runoff. Again, why this is just happening now, when the community itself was aware of problems prior to this, is just insane.

No one knows when the EPA will finally get their well testing done and in the meantime residents wonder aloud about how to make sure they have safe water to drink. The answer in part is to research water distillers or a home water distillation system. This is the only way to get fresh and safe water in resident"��s homes.