Your letter from Maxwell Merwitz prompts me to write and hope that plenty of people see this for more on the story. I'm semi-retired from the water improvement industry and now do some consulting. It has been nearly 30 years since I first told people, "You need to take responsibility of your water's safety and quality yourself in the near future. The problems will be getting bigger to the point that the cities won't be able to afford correcting the problems as it leaves the plant on its way to your house."
This is frankly what has happened. The city of Flint, Mich., got caught because fixing their problem got too expensive, and they missed a big part of the problem, which was the old lead connected pipe. In the first place, less than half of 1 percent of the water is actually consumed for residential drinking and cooking, so the volume is huge for industrial and commercial purposes, and nitrates don't affect that water; why fix it?
The nitrate problem here on the shore has been prevalent longer than the 30 years I have been aware of it. Mountaire's incoming water probably has a large amount of nitrates and just adds more to the discharge, spread over the fields. The amounts have yet to be determined, so where is the proof, and how much do they add?
The technology is available through reverse osmosis to reduce nitrates, lead, copper and dozens of other contaminants. This appliance is placed under the sink or in a laundry room. The water is ultra filtration and makes water well below the EPA standards for safe drinking water.
There is nitrate media used like a softener, fixing all the water coming into your home. The equipment can be purchased from your local Sussex County certified water treatment dealers, who will install it or give you the directions to install your own.
Don't buy it online; buy where it can be serviced when needed. You should ask questions of the dealer so you fully understand what the product does and will require periodically. They need to check the pressure and other water-quality requirements before installing one; they won't sell you something that won't work on your home.
Water is different and is site specific, so thinking that fixing the nitrate problem at the source or plant is not a logical, cost-effective remedy for the county. They just need to enforce the laws on commercial discharges at Mountaire. It's a business and must adhere to the laws and fix what's wrong when they are caught. Why should all the people have to bear the cost or added tax if they don't have it in their water supply - private well or public supply.
I have a reverse osmosis unit and will never be without one - pure ice too!
Bill Eckard
30-year water pro
Long Neck
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