BPW official says wells that tested slightly high for nitrates do not affect city residents, rural water users

City water wells serving three local businesses and a residence had nitrate levels slightly higher than state standards, according to samplings taken last month, but city officials said it does not affect city residents and rural water district users.

Water supplied to users within the city limits of Beatrice and residents on the rural water district tested low for nitrates with 2.6 parts per million, Beatrice Board of Public Works Water Department Superintendent Steve Kelley said. The samples were taken in April.

Kelley said the city received a violation on the water supplied only to Koch Nitrogen, Agrium, Farmer's Cooperative and one residence from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services when the water tested 11 parts per million in nitrate, one ppm above the 10 ppm allowed, Kelley said.

Kelley said this is the first violation the city has received.

Nitrate only affects children younger than six months, pregnant women and nursing mothers, he said.

With the violation, Kelley said the four users have been notified and for the next three months the water will be monitored.

It will then again be tested in the new quarter. If the water were to be the same or higher in nitrate levels, the city would be issued an administrative order to hire an engineer and come up with a long-term solution to the problem, Kelley said.

The solution possibilities could include installing a nitrate removal system, tapping onto the rural water district or finding an additional water source.

City residents and rural water users need to know that this does not affect their water, Jim Bauer, BPW general manager and city administrator, said he wanted to assure city residents and rural water users that the violation does not affect their water supplies.

In the nitrate report, both the north and south reservoirs had a 2.8 ppm nitrate level in March with a total of 66,030,000 gallons of water pumped.

In the months of January and February, the north reservoir had a nitrate level of 8.5 ppm and 6.3 ppm and the south reservoir had a nitrate level of 7.5 ppm and 6.9 ppm.