Tag: manure
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‘Fecal Soup’: Wisconsin Well Water Would Horrify You
Erika Balza does not drink the water out of her tap. Despite having a new well installed that came with a price tag of more than $13,000, she doesn’t trust it. “We’ve just written it off,” says Balza, a 47-year-old former paralegal and title insurance agent. “I did say after the new well was installed…
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A look at farm runoff and the worsening algae plague
Algae floats on the surface of Lake Erie’s Maumee Bay in Oregon, Ohio, on Friday, Sept. 15, 2017. Chemicals and manure intended to nourish crops are washing into lakes, streams and oceans, providing an endless buffet for algae. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) Harmful algae blooms have become a top water polluter, fueled by fertilizers washing into…
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Report Spotlights Nitrate Contamination in Drinking Water Across the USA
Photo: iStock/Charlie Bishop Scientists have known for decades that drinking water contaminated by fertilizer nitrates can pose a threat to infants by undermining the ability of their blood to carry oxygen. The condition, known as ‘blue baby syndrome,” led federal regulators to impose an environmental standard of no more than 10 parts per million, or…
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Private water wells in Texas test positive for contamination after Harvey
Nearly 60 percent of samples from 50 private water wells in Harris County tested positive for the bacteria sometimes found in feces, in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, according to data released Wednesday. The presence of total coliform, the bacteria sometimes found in feces but more commonly in soil and floodwater, was detected along with…
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Farmers’ efforts to help environment benefit Lancaster County farms
Mill Creek flows through a riparian buffer on the Mahlon Stoltzfus farm in New Holland. Trees and shrubs along the banks prevent erosion and provide a cool, shady habitat for fish. Photo by Philip Gruber Mahlon Stoltzfus’ cattle — eight or 10 dairy and beef animals he keeps for family use — go down for…
