Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Emphasized:
- Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
- Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being
- Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Clean Water for Living, Working, & Playing
When you turn on your faucet, the water that comes out should be safe to drink and cook with. Unfortunately, this isn’t true for some private well users in the Lower Yakima Valley.
Groundwater in this area contains elevated levels of nitrate. While nitrates do not cause health issues for most adults, some people may be at greater risk due to certain health conditions.
That’s why a group of local and state agencies are focusing on reducing nitrate contamination so everyone in the Lower Yakima Valley has clean, safe drinking water.
Project Updates
- We will provide regular updates on this project and share what you need to know if your well is impacted.
- Subscribe to receive future updates on this project in your inbox.
Are you eligible? Free well testing & drinking water
Reducing nitrate contamination throughout the Lower Yakima Valley is a long-term process. While we continue working on that, people still need immediate access to clean, safe drinking water.
If your water comes from a private well and you live within the project boundaries, you can have your well tested for free.
Eligibility Criteria:
- If test results show your well water has high nitrate levels, you’re eligible to receive clean drinking water at no cost to you.
- You may also qualify for a specialized water treatment system, called a reverse osmosis filter, that can be installed under your kitchen sink.
- We’ll help you maintain your unit for free up to five years after it’s installed.
- There are a limited number of these filters available, so get in touch right away to find out if you qualify for installation.
Contact 1-866-886-7117 to schedule a home visit and have your well sampled. You can also call to find out if you are eligible to receive free bottled water and/or a free water treatment system.
Tracking Nitrate Levels
Since 2021, we have been monitoring nitrate levels in 170 wells throughout the Lower Yakima Valley. We’re continuing to sample these wells every year.
This data tells us how nitrate levels change across seasons and within individual wells in different parts of the valley. By comparing new data to older sampling results, we can see if our efforts to reduce nitrate contamination are working.
Stay Involved: Project Updates, Food, & Prizes May 29
Join us at this free, public event for door prizes, kids’ activities, and a taco dinner! You’re a critical part of this project, and we want to hear your thoughts and concerns. We’ll share what we’re doing and how we’re getting people free, safe drinking water. We look forward to meeting you!
Event Details:
- Date: Wednesday, May 29, 2024
- Time: 4-7 p.m. (come and go any time)
- Where: La Cosecha (344 N 11th St, Sunnyside)
Learn More
What is Nitrate?
Nitrate is a chemical that can come from fertilizers, manure, agricultural runoff, dairy lagoons, and human waste from septic tanks. Nitrate also naturally exists in the environment and can be found at safe levels in vegetables.
Nitrate is the most common groundwater contaminant. Rain or irrigation can easily carry it down through soil and into groundwater. Your drinking water may contain nitrate if your well draws from this groundwater.
What is Groundwater?
Groundwater is water below the surface of land. It flows through the tiny spaces between soil, sand, and rocks. If your water comes from a well, you are part of the 65% of Washingtonians whose drinking water comes from groundwater.
What Can I Do?
If your water comes from a private or shared well, you are responsible for maintaining and sampling your well. Knowing what’s in your water helps you decide what to do to protect your health. If you use well water and live within the project boundaries, please call 1-866-886-7117 to have your well tested for free. You may qualify to receive free bottled water and/or a water filter.
Contact:
Sheryl Howe
Project Coordinator
Lower Yakima Valley Groundwater Management Area
Sheryl.Howe@doh.wa.gov
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## SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis
### 1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article are:
– SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
### 2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
The specific target under SDG 6 that can be identified based on the article’s content is:
– Target 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping, and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials.
### 3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
The indicators mentioned in the article that can be used to measure progress towards Target 6.3 under SDG 6 are:
– Monitoring nitrate levels in wells throughout the Lower Yakima Valley.
– Sampling wells every year to track changes in nitrate levels.
– Providing free well testing and clean drinking water to those with high nitrate levels.
### 4. Table Presentation
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|————————|————————————————————————————————————–|—————————————————————————————————–|
| SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation | Target 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping, and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials | – Monitoring nitrate levels in wells throughout the Lower Yakima Valley.
– Sampling wells every year to track changes in nitrate levels.
– Providing free well testing and clean drinking water to those with high nitrate levels. |
Copyright: Dive into this article, curated with care by SDG Investors Inc. Our advanced AI technology searches through vast amounts of data to spotlight how we are all moving forward with the Sustainable Development Goals. While we own the rights to this content, we invite you to share it to help spread knowledge and spark action on the SDGs.
Fuente: ecology.wa.gov
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