Used properly, fertilizers pose little threat to water quality or the environment. Used improperly, fertilizers can contaminate drinking water and surface waters such as rivers, lakes, and streams. Some fertilizers, such as anhydrous ammonia and ammonium nitrate, require special handling to prevent the possibility of injury or an explosion. These potential impacts are greatly reduced by proper fertilizer handling, use, and storage. Always wear approved protective clothing, and use recommended safety practices when handling fertilizers.
Commercial fertilizers are a source of nitrates.
This form of nitrogen can be harmful or even fatal to infants less than 6 months old if consumed in drinking water in amounts higher than the safe drinking water standard of 10 parts per million or 10 milligrams per liter. Although most water quality tests of private wells in Mississippi show nitrate levels below this level, a few cases of higher nitrate levels have been found. High nitrate levels also may harm young livestock, especially if they consume other nitrates in feed. Nitrogen and phosphorus in fertilizer may enter rivers, lakes, and streams and affect fish or wildlife. Although drinking water contamination from fertilizers is rare in Mississippi, it is possible if a leak, spill, or improper handling allows nitrogen fertilizer to seep into the ground where it may affect the groundwater that supplies drinking water.