Nitrate
Kalaheo-Koloa
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 | 0.551 ppm | 10 | 10 | 0.300 ppm - 0.720 ppm |
| 2015 | 0.542 ppm | 9 | 9 | 0.310 ppm - 0.750 ppm |
| 2016 | 0.548 ppm | 8 | 8 | 0.300 ppm - 0.820 ppm |
| 2017 | 0.559 ppm | 9 | 9 | 0.300 ppm - 0.840 ppm |
| 2018 | 0.543 ppm | 12 | 12 | 0.300 ppm - 0.810 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.521 ppm | 13 | 12 | ND - 0.810 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-03-31 | C14-04-0005 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2014-03-31 | C14-04-0004 | 0.570 ppm |
| 2014-03-31 | C14-04-0013 | 0.500 ppm |
| 2014-03-31 | C14-04-0012 | 0.550 ppm |
| 2014-03-31 | C14-04-0011 | 0.560 ppm |
| 2014-03-31 | C14-04-0010 | 0.450 ppm |
| 2014-03-31 | C14-04-0009 | 0.460 ppm |
| 2014-03-31 | C14-04-0008 | 0.300 ppm |
| 2014-03-31 | C14-04-0007 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2014-03-31 | C14-04-0006 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2015-07-08 | C15-07-0203 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2015-07-08 | C15-07-0204 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2015-07-08 | C15-07-0205 | 0.310 ppm |
| 2015-07-08 | C15-07-0206 | 0.590 ppm |
| 2015-11-30 | C15-12-0004 | 0.450 ppm |
| 2015-11-30 | C15-12-0005 | 0.450 ppm |
| 2015-11-30 | C15-12-0006 | 0.560 ppm |
| 2015-11-30 | C15-12-0007 | 0.530 ppm |
| 2015-11-30 | C15-12-0008 | 0.490 ppm |
| 2016-06-27 | 0.730 ppm | |
| 2016-06-27 | 0.820 ppm | |
| 2016-06-27 | 0.300 ppm | |
| 2016-06-29 | 0.480 ppm | |
| 2016-06-29 | 0.570 ppm | |
| 2016-06-29 | 0.540 ppm | |
| 2016-06-29 | 0.450 ppm | |
| 2016-06-29 | 0.490 ppm | |
| 2017-03-13 | 0.480 ppm | |
| 2017-03-13 | 0.490 ppm | |
| 2017-03-13 | 0.460 ppm | |
| 2017-03-13 | 0.550 ppm | |
| 2017-03-15 | 0.300 ppm | |
| 2017-03-15 | 0.840 ppm | |
| 2017-03-15 | 0.780 ppm | |
| 2017-03-15 | 0.580 ppm | |
| 2017-05-23 | 0.550 ppm | |
| 2018-01-29 | 201801000000 | 0.460 ppm |
| 2018-01-29 | 201801310036 | 0.460 ppm |
| 2018-04-18 | C18-04-0155 | 0.480 ppm |
| 2018-04-18 | C18-04-0156 | 0.460 ppm |
| 2018-04-18 | C18-04-0157 | 0.570 ppm |
| 2018-04-18 | C18-04-0154 | 0.530 ppm |
| 2018-04-18 | C18-04-0158 | 0.500 ppm |
| 2018-06-04 | C18-06-0005 | 0.810 ppm |
| 2018-06-04 | C18-06-0004 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2018-06-05 | C18-06-0021 | 0.300 ppm |
| 2018-06-05 | C18-06-0023 | 0.620 ppm |
| 2018-06-05 | C18-06-0022 | 0.580 ppm |
| 2019-01-30 | 201901310193 | 0.440 ppm |
| 2019-04-16 | C19-04-0108 | 0.540 ppm |
| 2019-04-16 | C19-04-0109 | 0.500 ppm |
| 2019-04-16 | C19-04-0107 | 0.570 ppm |
| 2019-04-16 | C19-04-0105 | 0.490 ppm |
| 2019-04-16 | C19-04-0104 | 0.500 ppm |
| 2019-05-13 | C19-05-0051 | 0.770 ppm |
| 2019-05-13 | C19-05-0052 | 0.810 ppm |
| 2019-05-13 | C19-05-0053 | ND |
| 2019-05-13 | C19-05-0049 | 0.570 ppm |
| 2019-05-13 | C19-05-0050 | 0.640 ppm |
| 2019-07-17 | C19-07-0159 | 0.450 ppm |
| 2019-10-21 | C19-10-0066 | 0.490 ppm |