WHO urged to review drinking water standards amid nitrate health fears

GENEVA: A global coalition of 85 health and environmental organizations has urged the World Health Organization (WHO) to revise its outdated standards for nitrate levels in drinking water. The call comes amid growing concerns about the potential health risks posed by nitrates, particularly for children and pregnant women.

Nitrates, a byproduct of intensive farming, have been linked to bowel cancer and premature births, even at levels well below the current WHO limit of 50 milligrams per litre as nitrate or 11.3 milligrams per litre as nitrate-nitrogen. This limit has remained unchanged since 1958, despite new scientific evidence suggesting that chronic, low-level nitrate exposure can lead to long-term health risks.

The open letter, sent on the eve of WHO's annual One Health Day, specifically highlights the dangers of nitrate-induced "blue-baby syndrome," a deadly blood disorder that reduces the blood's capacity to carry oxygen. However, the current limit has not been updated to reflect the growing body of epidemiological evidence linking nitrate exposure to colorectal cancer and adverse birth outcomes.

Organizations such as Greenpeace International and the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA) argue that the current guidelines do not adequately protect public health. They warn that hundreds of millions of people worldwide are already exposed to elevated nitrate levels in surface water. They emphasize that governments must take decisive action to curb the growth of intensive livestock farming and support the transition to more sustainable, ecological farming practices.

According to WONCA chair Pratyush Kumar, "Decisive action is needed to protect the life-giving resource of clean drinking water." Greenpeace's global project lead for agriculture, Amanda Larsson, echoed this sentiment, stating, "Water should be life-giving, not life-threatening. We cannot protect human health without protecting the groundwater and rivers that sustain us."

The organizations point to a recent expert panel commissioned by the Danish government, which recommended reducing the nitrate limit to 6.0 milligrams per litre - nearly 10 times below the current WHO benchmark. Denmark has committed to implementing this lower limit. However, most national governments rely on WHO guidelines when setting their drinking water standards, underscoring the urgent need for an update to reflect the latest scientific evidence.