Above all else, water should be trusted to sustain us and give us health, but this is not the case for us. Not anymore. We are learning that local nitrate levels are high and the Port of Morrow is adding to the problem with excess disposal.

Our polluted drinking water is increasing our risks of cancer and causing many of us in Morrow and Umatilla counties to pause before going to faucets.

Suddenly, a problem that we associated with far-off places is now our trouble, too. We become like Haiti, a place suffering from a lack of potable water, or like Flint, Michigan, a place whose fame was acquired through its polluted water.

Note that Flint has maintained its association with contaminated water, even after its crisis ended. Such reputations are hard to shake. It could be that our region, beautiful for its rivers and farmland, will suffer a similar fate.

Will we be known as a dirty place, an ugly place? Will travelers pass through our charming towns but avoid drinking from our taps? Will prospective employees reject our jobs because they are worried for their children?

It is heartening to hear concern from leaders in government. Hopefully, they are as troubled as they appear and they will act as they say. If they are to make progress in bettering our situation, they will need to hold people, organizations and possibly entire industries accountable.

This will not be an easy task, as the responsible parties are also powerful, but our leaders will need to show courage. And the public will need to discover which of our leaders stand for us; those are the people who deserve our support.