By Hutchinson Tribune Staff
YODER—A water test on Sept. 16 showed nitrate levels in Rural Water District 101, which serves the Yoder area, of 13 milligrams per liter (mg/L), which is above the state and federal level for maximum contaminant level, Reno County announced on Friday, Oct. 2, in a news release.
The state and federal maximum is set at 10 mg/L, Reno County wrote in the release. The release said that nitrates in water come from a combination of natural, industrial and agricultural sources.
Reno County sends notices to those affected by the high nitrate levels, and residents at higher risk, including infants younger than 6 months old, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and others identified by a health care provider, can request bottled water.
Nitrate levels in the district’s water have been an ongoing issue since August 2020.
Construction is nearly complete on a project to blend the water district’s water with water from the City of Hutchinson, which should make an immediate reduction in nitrate concentration, the release said.
Rural Water District 101 tests the water once a quarter and will continue to send notices until the issue is resolved.