Pouring It On
Nitrate Contamination of Drinking Water
Table 2
February 1, 1996
Pouring It On: Table 2
In ten states, more than 10% of all drinking water wells are contaminated with nitrate above federal health standards
| State | Population Above EPA Standards |
% Contamination Above EPA Standards |
|---|---|---|
| Delaware | 48,311 | 35.0% |
| Kansas | 69,944 | 28.0% |
| Iowa | 124,771 | 18.3% |
| California | 428,301 | 15.0% |
| New York | 239,685 | 15.0% |
| Nebraska | 52,870 | 14.0% |
| Arizona | 37,612 | 14.0% |
| Illinois | 164,510 | 12.0% |
| Colorado | 29,800 | 12.0% |
| Wisconsin | 148,582 | 10.0% |
| Texas | 80,404 | 9.4% |
| Minnesota | 134,365 | 9.3% |
| Pennsylvania | 245,241 | 9.0% |
| Connecticut | 55,412 | 9.0% |
| Maryland | 67,437 | 8.0% |
| Maine | 43,100 | 8.0% |
| New Jersey | 61,936 | 6.8% |
| South Dakota | 9,428 | 6.7% |
| Virginia | 96,205 | 6.4% |
| Wyoming | 6,899 | 6.4% |
| Missouri | 51,330 | 5.0% |
| Oregon | 27,477 | 5.0% |
| North Dakota | 7,170 | 4.6% |
| Indiana | 69,900 | 4.5% |
| Kentucky | 42,289 | 4.2% |
| Idaho | 9,536 | 4.0% |
| Nevada | 3,215 | 4.0% |
| Arkansas | 22,341 | 3.9% |
| Ohio | 66,474 | 3.8% |
| Montana | 7,342 | 3.8% |
| North Carolina | 59,926 | 3.2% |
| Alaska | 4,763 | 3.2% |
| New Mexico | 6,165 | 2.0% |
| Utah | 1,140 | 2.0% |
| Washington | 13,533 | 1.5% |
| New Hampshire | 5,809 | 1.4% |
| Vermont | 3,213 | 1.4% |
| Michigan | 20,234 | 1.2% |
| Oklahoma | 5,762 | 1.2% |
| Florida | 17,099 | 1.0% |
| Georgia | 13,141 | 1.0% |
| Massachusetts | 5,118 | 1.0% |
| Tennessee | 8,175 | 0.9% |
| West Virginia | 5,396 | 0.9% |
| Louisiana | 4,855 | 0.8% |
| South Carolina | 9,579 | 0.7% |
| Mississippi | 1,316 | 0.2% |