Map: What is nitrate and could your tap water be contaminated? - KCRA Sacramento

Map: What is nitrate and could your tap water be contaminated?

Map: What is nitrate and could your tap water be contaminated with it?

SHOULD CALL STOCKTON POLICE. IT IS SOMETIMES TAKEN FOR GRANTED. YOU GO TO THE TAB, FILL UP A GLASS AND DRINK CLEAN WATER. BUT FOR THOUSANDS OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIANS, THAT WATER MAY BE CONTAMINATED AND THEY HAVE NO IDEA. PEOPLE LIKE MARTHA LAWRENCE, WHO LIVE IN THE SHADE OF ALMOND ORCHARDS, DEAL WITH THAT CONTAMINATION. A CHEMICAL THAT’S ODORLESS AND COLORLESS IS IN HER WELL. SHE HAD NO IDEA THAT SHE WAS DRINKING IT AND IT WAS CONTAMINATED. I DIDN’T THINK ANYTHING ABOUT IT AS A KID. YOU KNOW, YOU JUST GO TO THE SINK AND GET YOUR GLASS OF WATER AND TONIGHT AT TEN, RIGHT HERE ON MY 58, KCRA 3 INVESTIGATES THE CHEMICAL AND SO MANY PEOPLE'

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Map: What is nitrate and could your tap water be contaminated with it?

It’s sometimes taken for granted — you go to the tap, fill a glass and drink clean water.But for thousands of Northern Californians, that water may be contaminated with nitrate. Nitrogen, often coming from fertilizer, dairies and cattle ranches, becomes nitrate when it accumulates too much. That nitrate then may go into water that is often used for drinking. People like Martha Lorenz, who lives in the shade of almond orchards, deal with this contamination. The odorless and colorless chemical was found in her well, but she had no idea that what she was drinking was contaminated.Nitrate can be dangerous for infants and also cause cancer. Catch our KCRA 3 investigation on Monday, Nov. 5, at 10 p.m. on My58, where we dive deep into the chemical that’s in so many people’s water and explain what’s being done to tackle the problem.Take a look at the map below to see if you live by a nitrate-impacted well:

It’s sometimes taken for granted — you go to the tap, fill a glass and drink clean water.

But for thousands of Northern Californians, that water may be contaminated with nitrate.

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Nitrogen, often coming from fertilizer, dairies and cattle ranches, becomes nitrate when it accumulates too much. That nitrate then may go into water that is often used for drinking.

People like Martha Lorenz, who lives in the shade of almond orchards, deal with this contamination. The odorless and colorless chemical was found in her well, but she had no idea that what she was drinking was contaminated.

Nitrate can be dangerous for infants and also cause cancer.

- Catch our KCRA 3 investigation on Monday, Nov. 5, at 10 p.m. on My58, where we dive deep into the chemical that’s in so many people’s water and explain what’s being done to tackle the problem.

Take a look at the map below to see if you live by a nitrate-impacted well: