What's in Your Water? (Nitrates... and PFAS. Also maybe Uranium.)

So as often happens (to me) I was doing my taxes this weekend, one thing led to another, and suddenly I was ordering a water quality test kit.

Does this stuff only happen to me?

What queued up my interest, admittedly, was this Reverse Osmosis System Tax Credit from the state of Nebraska, which allows for a one-time refundable income tax credit for the installation of an R.O. system at a primary residence of a taxpayer.

As someone who is BOTH a nerd for water quality, and that currently has TWO R.O. systems in my house - one installed and one in a box for future installation and review - this seemed especially interesting. So here's what I found...

https://flatwaterfreepress.org/many-nebraskans-still-under-threat-of-high-nitrate-in-drinking-water-report-finds/

Nebraska's Water Quality

Thanks to some amazing ongoing journalism and research by Yanqi Xu and the Flatwater Free Press , by now hopefully most folks know Nebraska’s water is laced with nitrate and it’s likely harming our kids. (YIKES). Oh, and also PFAS .

Article references here (article mentioned above) and at Our Dirty Water (October 2022). Plus here: Many Nebraskans still under threat of high nitrate in drinking water, report finds .

Raise awareness and t-shirt twin with me here:

https://www.rayguncustom.com/products/whats-in-your-water-shirt-1?srsltid=AfmBOoooxKZazWdBegL-JKyN-rURpIJLQgQVxkiDOnfS2m9cRE8Lvc6W

Nebraska's drinking water quality, especially concerning nitrate nitrogen levels, remains a significant concern, with numerous communities routinely exposed to high concentrations that exceed safety limits. Studies highlighted by the Flatwater Free Press report that many parts of Nebraska, particularly agricultural regions, face persistent nitrate contamination. These elevated levels, often exceeding the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) regulatory limit of ten parts per million, pose serious health risks, including potential harm to children’s health and development.

Regarding other contaminants the EPA has established stringent guidelines for these substances due to their persistence in the environment and harmful health effects. But testing has shown our groundwater routinely exceeds these standards. The contaminants specifically called out in the tax credit include:

Nitrate Nitrogen: Nitrates are primarily introduced into water supplies through agricultural runoff, which includes fertilizers and manure, as well as from wastewater and septic systems. High levels of nitrate in drinking water can lead to serious health issues such as methemoglobinemia, or "blue baby syndrome," in infants and potential increased risk of cancer in adults. Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctanesulfonic Acid (PFOS): These are synthetic chemicals that are part of a larger group known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly found in non-stick cookware, water-resistant clothing, and some firefighting foams. They matter because they do not break down in the environment and have been linked to several health problems, including cancer, thyroid disease, and developmental issues in children and infants. Perfluorononanoic Acid (PFNA), Perfluorohexanesulfonic Acid (PFHxS), Hexafluoropropylene Oxide Dimer Acid (HFPO-DA) and its Ammonium Salt, and Perfluorobutanesulfonic Acid (PFBS): These chemicals are also part of the PFAS family, used in various industrial applications and consumer products such as food packaging, cleaning products, and stain repellents. Like PFOA and PFOS, they are persistent in the environment and have been associated with numerous health risks including hormonal disruptions and immune system impairments. Uranium: Naturally occurring in bedrock and soil, uranium can leach into groundwater and contaminate drinking supplies. Exposure to uranium in drinking water can cause kidney damage and increase the risk of kidney cancer.

Reverse osmosis (RO) treatment is effective in removing these contaminants by filtering water through a semipermeable membrane that blocks particles larger than water molecules. However, RO systems are not an ideal solution for everyone due to their high water wastage. They typically discard a significant amount of water—often three to five times the amount they purify—which can be impractical and environmentally unsustainable, particularly in areas where water conservation is critical.

The Tax Credit

Beginning in tax year 2024, individual income taxpayers may claim a credit for the cost of installing a reverse osmosis water filtration system if the test results for the drinking water are above the following:

Ten parts per million for nitrate nitrogen; Four parts per trillion for perfluorooctanoic acid or perfluorooctanesulfonic acid; Thirty micrograms per liter or 30 parts per billion for uranium; or One on the Hazard Index for perfluorononanoic acid, perfluorohexanesulfonic acid, hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid and its ammonium salt, orperfluorobutanesulfonic acid.

The tax credit is limited to one taxpayer per residence and requires an application and approval from the Nebraska Department of Revenue (DOR). The application requires:

Reverse Osmosis System Tax Credit, Form 1040N-OS Water test results Invoice or sales receipt for the system showing cost and date of install

Instructions to upload and more information are available on the NE DOR website: https://revenue.nebraska.gov/tax-credits/reverse-osmosis-system-tax-credit-act

Ultimately, for me, since I didn't incur costs for either the purchase of the system (thanks Watts Water Technologies and https://mackmcclain.com/ ) or the installation, I'm not at all applicable for the tax credit. But that doesn't mean I'm not interested in the water quality testing and results!

"Compared to all the other systems that can flush as much as 4 or more gallons for every 1 gallon of drinking water produced, the ZRO-4 is the world's most efficient system."

My Next Steps

As mentioned, I already have an R.O. system... or two (stay tuned for a review of the Watts Zero Waste system ). But I'm always interested in more information, so found myself on this DHHS Water Sample Test Kit request form asking for a Nitrate test kit plus, under 'Other' requesting "perfluorooctanoic acid or perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, perfluorononanoic acid, perfluorohexanesulfonic acid, hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid and its ammonium salt, orperfluorobutanesulfonic aciduranium".

I'll update this article with more information as this exciting saga unfolds!