Nitrate
Carmichael Water District
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 1.58 ppm | 16 | 16 | 0.520 ppm - 5.42 ppm |
| 2015 | 1.58 ppm | 17 | 15 | ND - 6.10 ppm |
| 2016 | 1.80 ppm | 17 | 15 | ND - 5.90 ppm |
| 2017 | 0.870 ppm | 16 | 13 | 0.460 ppm - 1.30 ppm |
| 2018 | 1.44 ppm | 16 | 14 | ND - 5.60 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.870 ppm | 7 | 6 | ND - 1.40 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-02-20 | 5810-022-0953 | 0.520 ppm |
| 2014-02-20 | 5810-023-0932 | 0.520 ppm |
| 2014-03-06 | 5810-006-1017 | 1.94 ppm |
| 2014-06-05 | 5810-021-0939 | 0.768 ppm |
| 2014-06-05 | 5810-006-0856 | 1.45 ppm |
| 2014-06-05 | 5810-009-0916 | 0.994 ppm |
| 2014-06-11 | 5810-016-0918 | 2.10 ppm |
| 2014-08-20 | 5810-016-0840 | 2.94 ppm |
| 2014-09-04 | 5810-009-0921 | 0.994 ppm |
| 2014-09-04 | 5810-006-0940 | 1.47 ppm |
| 2014-09-04 | 5810-021-0900 | 1.04 ppm |
| 2014-09-04 | 5810-016-1015 | 1.20 ppm |
| 2014-11-24 | 5810-020-0910 | 5.42 ppm |
| 2014-12-04 | 5810-006-0910 | 2.19 ppm |
| 2014-12-04 | 5810-021-1029 | 0.768 ppm |
| 2014-12-04 | 5810-009-0955 | 0.994 ppm |
| 2015-03-05 | 5810-006-0956 | 1.81 ppm |
| 2015-03-05 | 5810-009-0935 | 1.38 ppm |
| 2015-03-05 | 5810-021-1033 | 0.745 ppm |
| 2015-03-12 | 5810-023-0835 | ND |
| 2015-03-12 | 5810-022-0916 | ND |
| 2015-06-04 | 5810-021-1146 | 0.655 ppm |
| 2015-06-04 | 5810-009-1108 | 0.949 ppm |
| 2015-06-04 | 5810-006-1039 | 1.38 ppm |
| 2015-06-04 | 5810-020-0921 | 6.10 ppm |
| 2015-06-04 | 5810-016-0954 | 5.42 ppm |
| 2015-09-03 | 5810-021-0938 | 0.858 ppm |
| 2015-09-03 | 5810-009-0959 | 0.926 ppm |
| 2015-09-03 | 5810-006-1020 | 1.31 ppm |
| 2015-09-03 | 5810-016-0901 | 1.99 ppm |
| 2015-12-03 | 5810-006-0948 | 1.60 ppm |
| 2015-12-03 | 5810-021-0910 | 0.570 ppm |
| 2015-12-03 | 5810-009-1031 | 1.20 ppm |
| 2016-03-03 | 5810-009-1104 | 1.20 ppm |
| 2016-03-03 | 5810-016-0948 | 5.50 ppm |
| 2016-03-03 | 5810-006-1036 | 1.60 ppm |
| 2016-03-03 | 5810-020-0903 | 5.90 ppm |
| 2016-03-03 | 5810-021-1140 | 0.560 ppm |
| 2016-03-10 | 5810-023-0920 | ND |
| 2016-03-10 | 5810-022-0905 | ND |
| 2016-06-02 | 5810-006-1015 | 1.60 ppm |
| 2016-06-02 | 5810-009-0930 | 1.10 ppm |
| 2016-06-02 | 5810-021-0905 | 0.480 ppm |
| 2016-09-01 | 5810-020-1018 | 5.80 ppm |
| 2016-09-01 | 5810-006-0851 | 1.80 ppm |
| 2016-09-01 | 5810-009-0912 | 1.20 ppm |
| 2016-09-01 | 5810-021-0933 | 0.810 ppm |
| 2016-12-01 | 5810-006-0929 | 1.50 ppm |
| 2016-12-01 | 5810-009-0901 | 1.10 ppm |
| 2016-12-01 | 5810-021-0959 | 0.500 ppm |
| 2017-03-02 | 5810-016-1125 | 5.20 ppm |
| 2017-03-02 | 5810-020-1052 | 5.30 ppm |
| 2017-03-02 | 5810-006-0910 | 1.50 ppm |
| 2017-03-02 | 5810-009-0944 | 0.840 ppm |
| 2017-03-02 | 5810-021-1005 | ND |
| 2017-03-21 | 5810-023-1040 | ND |
| 2017-03-21 | 5810-022-1100 | ND |
| 2017-06-01 | 0.870 ppm* | |
| 2017-06-01 | 5810-006-1051 | 1.30 ppm |
| 2017-06-01 | 5810-021-0947 | 0.460 ppm |
| 2017-06-01 | 5810-020-1130 | 5.80 ppm |
| 2017-06-01 | 5810-009-1015 | 0.850 ppm |
| 2017-06-01 | 5810-016-1220 | 5.50 ppm |
| 2017-09-07 | 5810-006-0849 | 1.10 ppm |
| 2017-09-07 | 5810-021-0927 | 0.670 ppm |
| 2017-09-07 | 5810-009-0905 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2018-03-01 | 9590-006-0945 | 1.70 ppm |
| 2018-03-01 | 9590-021-1039 | 0.530 ppm |
| 2018-03-01 | 9590-009-0918 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2018-03-15 | 9590-022-1323 | ND |
| 2018-03-15 | 9590-023-1349 | ND |
| 2018-06-07 | 5810-020-1040 | 5.60 ppm |
| 2018-06-07 | 5810-009-0906 | 1.10 ppm |
| 2018-06-07 | 5810-016-1110 | 5.10 ppm |
| 2018-06-07 | 5810-006-0928 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2018-06-07 | 5810-021-0845 | 0.440 ppm |
| 2018-09-06 | 5810-006-0916 | 1.90 ppm |
| 2018-09-06 | 5810-021-1007 | 0.730 ppm |
| 2018-09-06 | 5810-009-0940 | 0.830 ppm |
| 2018-12-06 | 2435-009-0852 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2018-12-06 | 2435-006-0915 | 1.60 ppm |
| 2018-12-06 | 2435-021-0942 | 0.430 ppm |
| 2019-03-07 | 2435-009-0850 | 1.20 ppm |
| 2019-03-07 | 2435-006-0928 | 1.40 ppm |
| 2019-03-07 | 2435-021-1010 | 0.480 ppm |
| 2019-03-14 | 2435-022-0850 | ND |
| 2019-09-05 | 2435-006-0940 | 1.20 ppm |
| 2019-09-05 | 2435-009-0926 | 0.980 ppm |
| 2019-09-05 | 2435-021-0908 | 0.830 ppm |
* Sample result is taken from the system's CCR report.