Except said source is Chevron, which sells its oil field wastewater to thirsty farmers in California’s Central Valley. In fact, the oil giant has been recycling its water for use as crop irrigation for two decades. And as the Golden State creeps closer and closer to desertification, more companies are seeking permits to follow in Chevron’s footsteps, the LA Times reported earlier this month. What the eff is recycled oil field wastewater doing to our food? Shockingly, no one knows for sure. Recycled irrigation water is required by law to be tested for naturally occurring toxins such as arsenic and salts. But that doesn’t mean those are the only chemicals farmers (who don’t exactly have the time or resources to test the water themselves) need to be worried about. Outdated testing standards don’t account for chemicals that have been introduced into modern oil production techniques—so it’s hard to tell what might be going undetected. MORE: Is Indoor Vertical Farming the Future of Food? But it probably isn’t good: When clean water advocacy group Water Defense conducted its own tests, the recycled oil field water was found to contain high levels of toxic chemicals like acetone and methylene chloride. Still, Sarah Oktay, a water-testing expert at the University of Massachusetts Boston, says there’s not enough evidence to warrant freaking out just yet: “My next step would be most likely to look and make sure the crop is healthy,” she told the LA Times. MORE: Weedkiller Detected in Sunchips Which seems like the obvious next step—but for now, no one is doing that. Research shows that plants do, in fact, have the ability to absorb potentially harmful chemicals from the soil. But which crops absorb which chemicals—and whether they take in enough to actually be harmful to the people who consume them—is, for now, anyone’s guess. In other words, if you haven’t gotten around to planning out this year’s backyard garden, now might be the perfect time to start.
