Federal judge orders Yakima County dairies to test wells, drinking water

A federal judge in Eastern Washington granted a preliminary injunction in a lawsuit that involves over ten Yakima County dairy producers.

Three Yakima County dairies near Granger, Washington, must start testing well water within the next 30 days. They also must test drinking water at people’s homes within 60 days. 

The requirement came after a federal judge from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington ruled in favor of the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA and the Department of Justice filed the lawsuit in June 2024.

The case says the defendants’ manure management practices may be causing residential drinking water contamination. 

The judge’s ruling also mandates continued groundwater monitoring and addresses potential leakage from a manure storage lagoon.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington, the action seeks to ensure access to safe and clean drinking water, and it was brought under the Safe Drinking Water Act.

In a press release, the EPA said people could be at risk from nitrate-contaminated drinking water. The agency also said three large dairies had contributed nitrates to the groundwater and contaminated wells. 

“EPA is committed to continuing its work with public health agencies, community groups, and the agriculture industry to address the complex public health challenges of legacy and ongoing nitrate contamination in the Lower Yakima Valley,” Dan Opalski, the deputy regional administrator, said in the release.

The agency is urging people to check if they are within the affected areas. An interactive map is available online to identify whether their residence is included in the area of concern.

EPA also has a hotline at 509-204-1941 or 888-508-6344 to get more information.

Ben Tindall is the executive director of Save Family Farming, an organization that advocates for farmers in Washington.

“Judge Rice’s decision supports EPA’s long-running campaign to use flawed science and legal harassment to target and attack dairies in the Lower Yakima Valley,” Tindall said in a written statement. 

Tindall also said that “Despite EPA forcing these farms for over a decade to jump through countless hoops, spending millions on cutting-edge nutrient management systems and groundwater protections — regulations more stringent and costly than those required for any other dairy in the nation — they’re claiming it’s still not enough.”

The lawsuit is still ongoing.