Global wraps up nitrate investigation, denies cover-up

Global Water officials have ended their investigation into a possible increase of nitrates within Maricopa’s drinking water after verifying with an outside laboratory that levels of the contaminant fall within federal limits.

The company sent two water samples taken Friday to a TestAmerica laboratory, which is part of a national environmental testing firm. The samples each came back with a reading of 5.6 parts per million of nitrate-nitrogen – well below the Environmental Protection Agency’s limit of 10 ppm.

Global Water conducted its own test Friday, showing a slightly higher result of 6.6 ppm, but still below the EPA’s limit.

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality provided InMaricopa.com Tuesday with more than 70 reported nitrate testing results for the Santa Cruz Water Company – Maricopa’s local utility under Global Water’s management – dating back to April 2003. None of the results exceed the 10 ppm limit.

According to the EPA, drinking water containing nitrate levels exceeding the limit can cause serious illness for infants younger than 6 months, and could lead to death.

The company’s investigation began after Laura Super, owner of a local aquarium business, posted a message on her business’ Facebook page that stated water samples taken at her home and store, MegaAquarium, showed a result of 40 ppm.

The Facebook message and a subsequent message posted on the “Maricopa buy sell trade mobile” Facebook page fueled concern among residents, causing many to lash out at the company and complain about poor water quality within the city. Some Facebook users posted photos of results using home test kits.

Super said in the weeks prior to posting the message, she and her customers noticed a sudden increase in nitrate levels using aquarium test kits. She added that fish in her store were dying.

“I have tested the water before and it’s been fine,” she said.

Over the weekend, Global issued a customer notice providing a possible explanation for the high nitrate levels.

The notice explained the EPA’s 10 ppm limit is for nitrate-nitrogen. However, some aquarium test kits measure nitrate ion, or “total nitrate,” and will give results four to five times higher. For total nitrate, the EPA’s limit is set at 45 ppm.

Super said she uses and sells American Pharmaceuticals (API) testing kits. API provides instructs for its nitrate testing kit on the company’s website. According to the instructions, the test kits read “total nitrate.”

Despite this explanation, Super remained skeptical, saying numerous people throughout the city used testing kits not only bought at her store but other stores and also were getting high readings.

Super was partly testing water outside the company’s supply.

Her home in the Senita neighborhood is supplied through the Santa Cruz Water Company under Global, but her store at the intersection of John Wayne Parkway and Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway, is under the management of the Maricopa Domestic Water Improvement District.

Sara Sheehan, an office manager for the district, said Maricopa DWID (formed prior to incorporation of Maricopa) does not share wells or other resources with Global Water.

Sheehan said the district has remained in compliance with federal rules for nitrate levels. The district’s annual water quality report for 2012 also showed it had not violated the regulation.