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Nitrate Leaching and Groundwater Contamination
        The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights states in Article 25 (1) that “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing,” etc.  The right to uncontaminated water, the life source for our planet, certainly falls under this principle as an inalienable right.  Unfortunately, nitrate contamination of our groundwater from excessive fertilization on agricultural fields has robbed many of this right.
        The issue of nitrate leaching in the Salinas Valley Watershed has been recognized as a serious problem for the last 50 years. Studies of nitrate contamination of the watershed were underway as early as 1953 and 35% of wells tested in northern Monterey County, including the Salinas Valley, had nitrate concentrations greater than 45 ppm, the state and federal maximum contaminant level for the chemical. Above this number, the water we drink, bathe in, and clean with is considered contaminated and a risk to human health.  More recent analysis using nitrate-quick-tests have shown some wells in Salinas measuring as high as 150 ppm. Contrary to what some may have us believe, this form of nitrate may potentially be toxic to humans.  High levels of nitrate are thought to cause various illnesses in adults and may cause infant methaemoglobinaemia (a lack of oxygen delivery to the body which results in various symptoms from headache to death and can cause drawn blood to appear chocolate brown) and gastric cancers.
        Groundwater nitrate contamination occurs in most areas dominated by conventional agriculture.  As excessive amounts fertilizers are applied over and over, nitrate concentrations build in the soil. As the chemical accumulates in the ground below, it eventually begins to be leached into the underground aquifers below, thus contaminating the water supply for a much larger region.
        This poses major environmental justice issues for the area as the watershed’s high Latino population uses a large portion of these resources.  In fact, 64% of the population of Salinas and 47% of the population of Monterey County is Hispanic (U.S. Census 2000). The typical answer to drinking contaminated water is that the populations affected should simply buy bottled water. Unfortunately, this isn’t a realistic option for most families. The Latino population earns far less income than whites in the area and many families live below the federal poverty line.  Forcing anybody to purchasing expensive bottled or bulk water when the public water supply is supposed to be safe is unacceptable.  Forcing low-income residents to choose between spending money on clean water or other essentials of life is an injustice.

WHAT ALBA IS DOING ABOUT IT?
    Part of ALBA’s mission is to foster a more just and sustainable food system.  At the Rural Development Center, ALBA achieves this goal by teaching organic farming methods to the farm worker community.  Sustainable agriculture teaches the minimization of inputs, including fertilizers like nitrates, as both an economically and ecologically driven decision. Students enrolled in the Small Farmer Education Program learn other more natural approaches to solving most conventionally (i.e. chemically) answered situations.  ALBA works with many agencies, such as the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, to monitor and control excessive nitrate use and uphold the Clean Water Act.  These are just few ways that ALBA works to keep the waters of Salinas Valley clean and healthy for all its residents.

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