Nitrate
Wailuku
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 | 0.667 ppm | 24 | 24 | 0.160 ppm - 2.98 ppm |
| 2015 | 0.713 ppm | 17 | 17 | 0.170 ppm - 2.97 ppm |
| 2016 | 0.694 ppm | 18 | 18 | 0.180 ppm - 2.99 ppm |
| 2017 | 0.839 ppm | 15 | 15 | 0.180 ppm - 3.05 ppm |
| 2018 | 0.728 ppm | 12 | 12 | 0.170 ppm - 2.70 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.596 ppm | 15 | 14 | ND - 2.85 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-03-24 | 201032406 | 0.320 ppm |
| 2014-03-24 | 201032407 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2014-03-24 | 201032408 | 0.500 ppm |
| 2014-03-24 | 201032409 | 2.98 ppm |
| 2014-03-24 | 201032410 | 0.840 ppm |
| 2014-03-24 | 2014032404 | 0.210 ppm |
| 2014-03-24 | 2014032405 | 0.220 ppm |
| 2014-03-24 | 2014032406 | 0.320 ppm |
| 2014-03-24 | 2014032407 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2014-03-24 | 2014032408 | 0.500 ppm |
| 2014-03-24 | 2014032409 | 2.98 ppm |
| 2014-03-24 | 2014032410 | 0.840 ppm |
| 2014-03-27 | 201032708 | 0.580 ppm |
| 2014-03-27 | 201032709 | 0.160 ppm |
| 2014-03-27 | 201032710 | 0.160 ppm |
| 2014-03-27 | 201032714 | 0.490 ppm |
| 2014-03-27 | 2014032708 | 0.580 ppm |
| 2014-03-27 | 2014032709 | 0.160 ppm |
| 2014-03-27 | 2014032710 | 0.160 ppm |
| 2014-03-27 | 2014032714 | 0.490 ppm |
| 2014-03-27 | 2014032715 | 0.490 ppm |
| 2014-03-31 | 2014033101 | 0.410 ppm |
| 2014-03-31 | 2014033102 | 0.400 ppm |
| 2014-03-31 | 2014033103 | 0.770 ppm |
| 2015-01-26 | 2015012601 | 2.93 ppm |
| 2015-01-26 | 2015012602 | 2.97 ppm |
| 2015-01-26 | 2015012603 | 0.820 ppm |
| 2015-01-26 | 2015012604 | 0.610 ppm |
| 2015-01-26 | 2015012605 | 0.230 ppm |
| 2015-01-28 | 2015012806 | 0.260 ppm |
| 2015-01-28 | 2015012807 | 0.220 ppm |
| 2015-01-28 | 2015012808 | 0.500 ppm |
| 2015-01-28 | 2015012809 | 0.480 ppm |
| 2015-01-28 | 2015012810 | 0.430 ppm |
| 2015-01-28 | 2015012811 | 0.470 ppm |
| 2015-01-28 | 2015012812 | 0.710 ppm |
| 2015-01-28 | 2015012813 | 0.780 ppm |
| 2015-06-03 | 2015060303 | 0.180 ppm |
| 2015-06-03 | 2015060304 | 0.170 ppm |
| 2015-09-08 | 2015090814 | 0.180 ppm |
| 2015-09-08 | 2015090815 | 0.180 ppm |
| 2016-03-31 | 0.220 ppm | |
| 2016-03-31 | 0.260 ppm | |
| 2016-03-31 | 0.610 ppm | |
| 2016-03-31 | 0.800 ppm | |
| 2016-09-12 | 0.840 ppm | |
| 2016-09-12 | 0.840 ppm | |
| 2016-11-30 | 0.800 ppm | |
| 2016-11-30 | 0.800 ppm | |
| 2016-11-30 | 0.180 ppm | |
| 2016-11-30 | 2.99 ppm | |
| 2016-11-30 | 0.460 ppm | |
| 2016-11-30 | 0.460 ppm | |
| 2016-11-30 | 0.800 ppm | |
| 2016-12-14 | 0.650 ppm | |
| 2016-12-14 | 0.650 ppm | |
| 2016-12-15 | 0.410 ppm | |
| 2016-12-15 | 0.360 ppm | |
| 2016-12-15 | 0.360 ppm | |
| 2017-09-07 | 0.420 ppm | |
| 2017-09-07 | 0.420 ppm | |
| 2017-09-07 | 0.400 ppm | |
| 2017-09-07 | 0.260 ppm | |
| 2017-09-14 | 0.900 ppm | |
| 2017-09-14 | 0.260 ppm | |
| 2017-09-14 | 0.180 ppm | |
| 2017-09-14 | 3.05 ppm | |
| 2017-09-14 | 3.05 ppm | |
| 2017-09-14 | 0.720 ppm | |
| 2017-09-14 | 0.870 ppm | |
| 2017-09-14 | 0.860 ppm | |
| 2017-09-21 | 0.210 ppm | |
| 2017-09-21 | 0.210 ppm | |
| 2017-12-06 | 0.770 ppm | |
| 2018-01-30 | 201802010037 | 1.10 ppm |
| 2018-02-26 | 201802280133 | 0.200 ppm |
| 2018-02-26 | 201802280134 | 0.260 ppm |
| 2018-02-26 | 201802280124 | 0.820 ppm |
| 2018-02-26 | 201802280125 | 2.70 ppm |
| 2018-02-27 | 201803010016 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2018-02-27 | 201803010018 | 0.380 ppm |
| 2018-02-27 | 201803010017 | 0.330 ppm |
| 2018-02-27 | 201803010020 | 0.560 ppm |
| 2018-02-27 | 201803010019 | 0.170 ppm |
| 2018-04-18 | 201804200168 | 0.530 ppm |
| 2018-06-14 | 201806150965 | 0.980 ppm |
| 2019-05-22 | 2019052204 | 0.260 ppm |
| 2019-05-22 | 2019052205 | 0.250 ppm |
| 2019-05-22 | 2019052206 | 1.11 ppm |
| 2019-05-22 | 2019052207 | 0.920 ppm |
| 2019-05-22 | 2019052208 | 2.85 ppm |
| 2019-11-25 | 2019112505 | 0.370 ppm |
| 2019-11-25 | 2019112504 | 0.310 ppm |
| 2019-11-25 | 2019112502 | 0.350 ppm |
| 2019-11-25 | 2019112503 | 0.350 ppm |
| 2019-11-25 | 2019112501 | 0.190 ppm |
| 2019-12-05 | 2019120505 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2019-12-05 | 2019120501 | 0.190 ppm |
| 2019-12-05 | 2019120502 | 0.190 ppm |
| 2019-12-05 | 2019120503 | ND |
| 2019-12-05 | 2019120504 | 0.860 ppm |