First Annual Nitrate Pollution Awareness Week Reaches a Broad Audience
Author: Sam Puckett, Clean Water Program Director
Between July 26 and August 1, 2026, thousands of community members, clean water advocates and public health supporters across the country joined the Izaak Walton League of America for Nitrate Pollution Awareness Week. The nationwide effort mobilized volunteers to uncover hidden contamination, expand community education, and advocate for stronger water protection policies.
Targeting the threat
Nitrate is an invisible, odorless compound of nitrogen and oxygen—primarily entering waterways through over-applied synthetic fertilizers, manure runoff and urban sewage. Beyond fueling toxic algal blooms that choke aquatic life, elevated nitrate levels in drinking water pose significant health risks, including increased rates of colorectal and bladder cancers, thyroid disease and birth defects.
Highlights and results
- Community science in action: Volunteers used Nitrate Watch test strips to sample local creeks, rivers, lakes and tap water, logging over 350 new readings directly to the public Clean Water Hub database.
- Expert webinar series: Attendees tuned into four expert led panels covering the health risks of nitrate exposure, agricultural solutions like cover crops and the downstream ecosystem impacts fueling hypoxic dead zones.
- Grassroots advocacy: Participants submitted 83 reported advocacy actions, including op-eds, shared campaign graphics across social platforms, and contacted local, state and federal lawmakers to demand dedicated funding for agricultural conservation.
To review the aggregated data map or access ongoing educational resources, visit the Izaak Walton League webpage at iwla.org/nitrateawareness.
Special thanks to our sponsors who made this event possible!
Platinum Sponsors: the League’s Iowa Division, the Raines Family Fund
Gold Sponsors: the League’s Illinois Division and Wisconsin Divisions
Silver Sponsors: Anonymous donors in Virginia and Iowa, Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement (CCI), the League’s Nebraska, Ohio and West Virginia Divisions, J. Stegmeier Family Environmental Trust, Mike and Angela Fuge, Nishnabotna Water Defenders
Your kit will include a bottle containing 25 nitrate test strips which you can use to test your water source(s) throughout the year. You’ll also receive postcards explaining how to use your nitrate test strips and how to share your Nitrate Watch results on the Clean Water Hub.
Your kit will include four test strips so you can test your waterway throughout the season. You’ll also receive a chart to help you interpret your results and a postcard with instructions for completing a Salt Watch test and reporting your findings.