In late January 2017, the Department of Environmental Quality released a study of pockets of groundwater outside of Medford and Central Point, Oregon. Among the 107 wells tested, 21 percent had higher levels of nitrates, while four percent had higher than recommended health levels. Twenty-two percent of the wells contained arsenic and six percent had unhealthy levels. While the findings were lower than expected, the presence of nitrates and arsenic in drinking water raises a red flag for local residents.
