Nitrates Pose Greater Threat To Water Supply Than Inel Waste, Scientist Says

Radioactive waste from polluted Idaho National Engineering Laboratory sites is unlikely to ever reach drinking water wells in harmful concentrations, state hydrogeologist Lin Campbell says.

But he warns nitrates leaching into groundwater on the Snake River Plain are a danger to health.

Campbell on Tuesday met with a regional group helping the Idaho Water Resources Board develop a statewide water plan for the Legislature.

“Should we say ‘No need to worry?’ No,” Campbell said, referring to traces of radioactive waste that monitoring indicates is in the aquifer that supplies much of southern Idaho’s drinking and irrigation water.

“I think citizens should be interested and concerned with what goes on at INEL, but they don’t need to be in constant fear.”