A sign of a nitrate problem is a larger than normal number of animals coming back into heat or an inordinate amount of open females at the end of the breeding season. Sources of nitrates in ground water include nitrogen fertilizers,animal manure, crop residues, human wastes and industrial wastes. Nitrates may be found in a shallow ground water table. The nitrate concentration will be the greatest in the upper part of a shallow ground water table and wells which just penetrate into the table. Shallow wells may have higher levels than deeper wells since the shallow ground water tables are more easily polluted with leached nitrates.
Protect water sheds against erosion, manure or chemicals.
Shallow wells with poor casing are susceptible to contamination. A cracked well casing may allow contaminated ground water into a deep aquifer. Chlorination of water does not destroy nitrates but clorination can convert nitrites back to nitrates. It is question-able however, if this procedure will solve a nitrite problem. Chlorine in the drinking water cannot prevent the change of nitrates to nitrites in the rumen of the cow or sheep or in the ceacum of the horse.