Many communities depend on groundwater for their drinking water. In some Arizona communities, potentially harmful nitrates can seep below the earth and into these water sources.

Nitrates are found naturally in some foods, such as spinach, lettuce, beets and celery. They are also added to fertilizers and pesticides to help plants grow.

Because groundwater is a major source of drinking water, keeping it clean is important. That’s why source water protection matters. Source water protection means taking steps to protect rivers, lakes and underground aquifers before pollution reaches them.

Water utilities treat water to make it safe at the tap. However, protecting water at its source is one of the first and most important ways to prevent contamination in the first place. It protects public health, keeps watersheds healthy and can save communities money over time.

When high levels of nitrates do get into drinking water, they must be removed. Utilities may use advanced treatment methods like reverse osmosis or ion exchange. While these methods work, they often use a lot of energy, take up space and create salty waste that must be disposed of.

A new treatment system in Gilbert, Arizona, offers a different solution.

This biological treatment system can clean about 2 cubic meters of water per hour and removes all nitrates. Instead of filtering them out, the system changes nitrates into nitrogen gas, which is safe and already found in the air we breathe.

The system uses very little energy and does not create salty waste. That makes it a cleaner and more efficient option for treating nitrate contaminated water.

New technologies like this, along with strong source water protection, help ensure safe drinking water for families today and in the future.