A surge in cancer rates has affected surrounding counties, including Ellsworth, Russell and Lincoln. Kansas State’s Johnson Cancer Research Center is studying the possible causes of the increase.
Also part of the study is the K-State Extension Midway District. According to their website, they are “committed to expanding human capacity by delivering educational programs and technical information that result in improved leadership skills in the areas of communication, group dynamics, conflict resolution, issue analysis, and strategic planning that can enhance the economic viability and quality of life in communities.”
K-State Extension Midway District agent, Jessica Kootz, said she reached out to the JCRC about the surge in cases.
“I reached out to the Johnson Cancer Research Center,” Kootz said. “Later on, members of the [K-State] geology department voiced interest in helping find a solution.”
Matthew Kirk, professor of geology, studies Kansas water chemistry and groundwater microbiology to determine chemical composition. Kirk says the novelty of this project lies in environmental issues.
“The great thing about this project is that it considered groundwater quality as well as radon exposure, which is another environmental issue, and then combined that with the health data from the people living in those areas,” Kirk said.
The study focuses on the water quality of private wells and the presence of radon near Kansas homes. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, radon, which is found in many homes in Kansas and is naturally occurring, is one of the leading causes of lung cancer.
Funded by JCRC, a team headed by adjunct Karin Goldberg, professor of geology, is focusing on potential causes of high cancer rates.
“My main goal was to look at domestic wells because they are largely unregulated,” Goldberg said. “Public water supplies are periodically tested in accordance with the Clean Water Act. However, when you drill a well on your property, you aren’t required to test it, and many people don’t know what’s in the water.”
Goldberg says many farms and residences use private wells, which could be a potential contributor to higher cancer rates. The team analyzed the health data reports by looking at the ages of the people with cancer and what kinds of cancer they had. They combined this data with the findings from testing private wells and radon in homes to create a map comparing water contaminants and high radon levels with cancer data.
A summary of the results, which is soon to be formally published, Goldberg said, lists some of the results of the study. The project included 57 water samples, 39 radon measurements and 65 cancer surveys across the three counties. In 49% of the households sampled, radon levels were above the EPA’s defined limit. The samples of water quality across the county showed higher levels of nitrate in 11% of the samples, uranium in 7% of the samples and mercury in 5% of the samples.
“Ammonium was alarming to me, because 64% of the samples we took had higher rates of ammonium than the permissible level,” Goldberg said. “In Ellenwood, it was nine times higher than the regulation.”
However, members of the project made sure to inform residents if they had harmful rates of minerals in their water or higher rates of radon in their homes.
“I got in touch with every single resident that had high numbers and sent out the water report to warn them about what’s in their water,” Goldberg said.
Kootz, Goldberg and Kirk all said that the findings of this study are preliminary and do not establish a definite correlation between the high levels of cancer in those areas and the environmental factors studied.
“We don’t have a smoking gun to say, ‘This causes that,’” Goldberg said. “However, this emerged to me that these findings could indicate a potential public health problem and warrants further investigation. I’m hoping once we publish this study, it’s going to make waves.”
Fortunately, this project, with its preliminary findings, will not go to waste. Interim director of JCRC Ryan Rafferty said the organization “is looking at the next steps to continue this project.”
The three counties are not the only places in Kansas facing water contamination. As private wells are not monitored, groundwater contamination can be a problem for anyone, and experts say it’s imperative to test water.
“Make sure you know what’s in your water,” Goldberg said. “Get it tested. There are simple fixes, such as reverse osmosis technology, that are very effective at cleaning the water of harmful levels of certain minerals.”
For citizens wanting to test their private wells, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment has a document outlining how to do so, with links to websites showing the nearest certified laboratory to send samples to.
“The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has a list of accredited labs that can test water quality,” Kirk said. “You can call them and ask them how to get a sample and ask for them to test for basic water quality.”
Testing groundwater used for domestic purposes can help mitigate risks of negative health effects.
“Sometimes we find wells that have excessive levels of iron or nitrate, so people end up getting a reverse osmosis system under their sink to lower those levels,” Kirk said. “When you think about it, that could have changed the course of that person’s life. And even if it’s one person, it’s worth it.”
