Nitrate
Cal-am Water Company - Duarte
Nitrate, a fertilizer chemical, frequently contaminates drinking water due to agricultural and urban runoff, and discharges from municipal wastewater treatment plants and septic tanks. Excessive nitrate in water can cause oxygen deprivation in infants and increase the risk of cancer. Click here to read more about nitrate.
Samples
Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)
Samples exceeding
health guidelines
Testing results - average by year
| Year | Average result | Samples taken | Detections | Range of results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | N/A | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2014 | 0.826 ppm | 14 | 14 | 0.585 ppm - 1.20 ppm |
| 2015 | 0.877 ppm | 14 | 14 | 0.680 ppm - 1.22 ppm |
| 2016 | 1.02 ppm | 22 | 22 | 0.670 ppm - 1.80 ppm |
| 2017 | 1.08 ppm | 7 | 6 | ND - 1.60 ppm |
| 2018 | 0.817 ppm | 6 | 6 | 0.430 ppm - 1.20 ppm |
| 2019 | 2.09 ppm | 20 | 20 | 0.520 ppm - 5.30 ppm |
ppm = parts per million
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EWG Health Guideline 0.14 ppm
The EWG Health Guideline of 0.14 ppm for nitrate was defined by EWG . This health guideline protects against cancer and harm to fetal growth and development.
EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 10 ppm
The legal limit for nitrate, established in 1962, was developed to protect infants from acute methemoglobinemia, a life-threatening disorder of oxygen transport in the body. This limit does not fully protect against the risk of cancer and harm to the developing fetus.
ppm = parts per million
All test results
| Date | Lab ID | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-03-10 | 9588-008-1200 | 0.791 ppm |
| 2014-06-23 | 1225-002-1300 | 0.736 ppm |
| 2014-06-23 | 1225-019-1005 | 0.585 ppm |
| 2014-06-23 | 1225-010-1330 | 1.09 ppm |
| 2014-06-23 | 1225-009-1135 | 0.782 ppm |
| 2014-06-23 | 1225-008-1235 | 0.725 ppm |
| 2014-06-23 | 1225-007-1240 | 0.605 ppm |
| 2014-06-23 | 1225-003-1110 | 0.791 ppm |
| 2014-12-03 | 9588-019-1020 | 0.926 ppm |
| 2014-12-03 | 9588-010-1050 | 1.20 ppm |
| 2014-12-03 | 9588-009-1100 | 0.768 ppm |
| 2014-12-03 | 9588-002-1110 | 0.791 ppm |
| 2014-12-03 | 9588-007-1030 | 0.791 ppm |
| 2014-12-03 | 9588-003-1045 | 0.994 ppm |
| 2015-03-05 | 9588-008-1020 | 0.858 ppm |
| 2015-09-28 | 1225-003-1050 | 0.930 ppm |
| 2015-09-28 | 1225-007-1200 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2015-09-28 | 1225-010-0945 | 1.22 ppm |
| 2015-09-28 | 1225-009-1345 | 0.810 ppm |
| 2015-09-28 | 1225-008-1330 | 0.850 ppm |
| 2015-10-14 | 1225-002-1205 | 0.840 ppm |
| 2015-10-14 | 1225-019-0945 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2015-12-07 | 9588-019-1040 | 0.910 ppm |
| 2015-12-07 | 9588-010-1205 | 1.20 ppm |
| 2015-12-07 | 9588-009-1130 | 0.860 ppm |
| 2015-12-07 | 9588-002-1150 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2015-12-07 | 9588-007-1055 | 0.810 ppm |
| 2015-12-07 | 9588-003-1115 | 0.830 ppm |
| 2016-03-02 | 9588-008-1045 | 0.890 ppm |
| 2016-06-20 | 1225-019-1115 | 0.670 ppm |
| 2016-06-20 | 1225-008-1145 | 0.960 ppm |
| 2016-06-20 | 1225-010-1135 | 1.27 ppm |
| 2016-07-20 | 1225-002-1110 | 0.900 ppm |
| 2016-07-20 | 1225-003-1000 | 1.04 ppm |
| 2016-07-20 | 1225-007-0930 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2016-07-20 | 1225-009-1030 | 1.48 ppm |
| 2016-08-10 | 9590-019-1125 | 0.710 ppm |
| 2016-08-10 | 9590-008-1030 | 1.20 ppm |
| 2016-08-10 | 9590-010-1015 | 1.20 ppm |
| 2016-08-10 | 9590-007-1045 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2016-08-11 | 9590-003-1205 | 1.10 ppm |
| 2016-08-11 | 9590-009-1150 | 0.900 ppm |
| 2016-08-11 | 9590-002-1105 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2016-09-07 | 9588-009-1400 | 0.880 ppm |
| 2016-09-07 | 9588-019-1230 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2016-09-07 | 9588-003-1305 | 1.80 ppm |
| 2016-09-07 | 9588-007-1245 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2016-09-07 | 9588-008-1345 | 1.10 ppm |
| 2016-09-07 | 9588-010-1315 | 1.20 ppm |
| 2016-09-07 | 9588-002-1330 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2017-09-20 | 9588-007-1100 | ND |
| 2017-09-20 | 9588-019-1040 | 0.730 ppm |
| 2017-09-20 | 9588-010-1210 | 1.30 ppm |
| 2017-09-20 | 9588-008-1125 | 1.50 ppm |
| 2017-09-20 | 9588-002-1150 | 1.60 ppm |
| 2017-09-20 | 9588-009-1115 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2017-09-28 | 9588-003-0905 | 1.40 ppm |
| 2018-09-20 | 9588-019-1125 | 0.810 ppm |
| 2018-09-20 | 9588-010-1325 | 1.20 ppm |
| 2018-09-20 | 9588-007-1215 | 0.430 ppm |
| 2018-09-20 | 9588-008-1240 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2018-09-20 | 9588-002-1300 | 0.820 ppm |
| 2018-09-20 | 9588-009-1225 | 0.840 ppm |
| 2019-02-06 | 9590-022-1230 | 5.00 ppm |
| 2019-03-19 | 9588-003-1135 | 2.50 ppm |
| 2019-05-13 | 9588-022-1310 | 5.30 ppm |
| 2019-07-10 | 9590-007-1040 | 0.630 ppm |
| 2019-07-10 | 9590-002-1310 | 1.60 ppm |
| 2019-07-10 | 9590-003-1135 | 1.50 ppm |
| 2019-07-10 | 9590-022-1339 | 5.00 ppm |
| 2019-07-10 | 9590-019-0930 | 0.710 ppm |
| 2019-07-10 | 9590-010-1335 | 1.10 ppm |
| 2019-07-10 | 9590-009-1210 | 0.790 ppm |
| 2019-07-10 | 9590-008-1240 | 1.60 ppm |
| 2019-08-07 | 9588-022-0000 | 4.30 ppm |
| 2019-08-07 | 9588-019-1400 | 0.580 ppm |
| 2019-08-07 | 9588-003-1400 | 1.50 ppm |
| 2019-08-07 | 9588-010-1400 | 1.10 ppm |
| 2019-08-07 | 9588-002-1400 | 1.40 ppm |
| 2019-08-07 | 9588-009-1400 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2019-08-07 | 9588-008-1400 | 1.20 ppm |
| 2019-08-07 | 9588-007-1400 | 0.520 ppm |
| 2019-11-19 | 9588-022-1040 | 4.60 ppm |