Agricultural Runoff Threatens Leesburg Well Water: Your Family’s Health Depends on Taking Action Now

Leesburg, Florida families relying on private wells face a growing threat that many don’t even know exists. Agriculture is the second largest industry in Florida. Each year, farms, ranches, nurseries and other agricultural businesses contribute significantly to our region’s economy. However, this agricultural prosperity comes with hidden risks to your family’s drinking water supply.

The Hidden Danger in Your Tap

Pesticides are widespread in surface water and groundwater across the United States. For example, at least one pesticide was found in about 94 percent of water samples and in more than 90 percent of fish samples taken from streams across the Nation, and in nearly 60 percent of shallow wells sampled. This statistic should alarm any homeowner with a private well, especially in agricultural areas like Leesburg.

Underground water in Florida is especially vulnerable to contamination because of its well-drained soils (such as sand) that do not filter out all of the contaminants. This geological reality makes Florida wells particularly susceptible to agricultural runoff contamination.

How Agricultural Chemicals Reach Your Well

Fertilizers and pesticides don’t remain stationary on the landscape where they are applied; runoff and infiltration transport these contaminants into local streams, rivers, and groundwater. The contamination process happens through multiple pathways:

• Runoff is the primary way agricultural pollutants enter well water supplies.
• Agricultural contaminants also leach or seep into the soil and penetrate down to groundwater sources, like aquifers. Wells draw their water from aquifers.
• They spread easily too, and end up in water sources through rain, runoff, and wind. These chemicals can stay in groundwater for decades, even if efforts are made to reduce pesticide use above ground.

Health Risks Your Family Faces

The health implications of pesticide-contaminated well water are serious and long-lasting. Organophosphate pesticides (which include both herbicides, like glyphosate, and insecticides, like chlorpyrifos) are considered the most harmful pesticides to humans.

High concentrations of nitrates in drinking water pose health risks, particularly for infants and young children. Nitrates interfere with the blood’s ability to carry oxygen, potentially leading to methemoglobinemia, commonly known as “blue baby syndrome,” which can be fatal if not promptly diagnosed and treated.

Additional contaminants from agricultural runoff include heavy metals from fertilizers and pesticides. Analytical testing of some industrial-grade fertilizers have revealed concerning levels of arsenic, cadmium, and lead. Analytical testing of both glyphosate-based and non-glyphosate-based pesticides revealed elevated levels of arsenic, chromium, cobalt, lead, and nickel — heavy metals that can accumulate in your body over time.

The Scope of Contamination

Surveys by the USGS found that one quarter of the shallow wells tested underneath or nearby heavily farmed areas were contaminated above the EPA limit (10 PPM). Almost three quarters of the communities with nitrate levels in drinking water at or above 10 PPM are found in only five states: Arizona, California, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. While Florida isn’t among these top five states, the risk remains significant due to the state’s extensive agricultural activities and vulnerable geology.

More than 13 million U.S. households obtain their drinking water from private wells. Pollution from pesticides, fertilizers, and animal manure can enter groundwater depending upon local land use and geologic conditions.

Why Standard Testing Isn’t Enough

The agricultural chemical sampling program looks for contamination related to use of pesticides or fertilizers. To optimize resources, wells are sampled in areas of known or suspected contamination, such as agricultural areas or near underground storage tanks. However, routine well testing typically focuses on bacteria and basic parameters, missing many agricultural chemicals that could be present.

Protecting Your Family with Professional Water Treatment

Fortunately, effective solutions exist to protect your family from agricultural contamination. Depending on your well water’s specific contaminants, activated carbon filters, nanofiltration, and reverse osmosis can help treat water with agricultural contaminants. Precise treatment technologies will depend on the contaminants you’re dealing with and your water chemistry.

Quality Safe Water of Florida is dedicated to ensuring every Florida family has access to clean, safe, and purified water. We are committed to providing the highest quality, efficient, and affordable water treatment solutions, prioritizing the health and well-being of our customers. Our unwavering dedication to this vision sets us apart as Florida’s most trusted water treatment company, never wavering from our founders’ original mission.

For Leesburg residents concerned about agricultural runoff, investing in comprehensive well water filtration leesburg systems provides peace of mind and protection. Quality Safe Water of Florida offers a variety of services to meet all your water needs. We’ll provide you with your own custom-designed water purification system, based on your water analysis & your family’s water usage & needs. One size does not fit all!

Take Action Today

Don’t wait until contamination affects your family’s health. The first step is understanding what’s in your water through comprehensive testing that includes agricultural chemicals. Then, work with water treatment professionals who understand the unique challenges of Florida’s geology and agricultural environment.

Agricultural runoff contamination is a serious threat to Leesburg well water, but it’s not insurmountable. With proper testing, appropriate treatment systems, and ongoing monitoring, you can ensure your family has access to clean, safe drinking water regardless of what’s happening in the agricultural fields around your home. The investment in water quality today protects your family’s health for years to come.