Nitrate

Plainville, City of

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.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

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	1.30 ppm	2	2	0.200 ppm - 2.40 ppm
2015	0.298 ppm	4	4	0.120 ppm - 0.660 ppm
2016	0.930 ppm	2	2	0.460 ppm - 1.40 ppm
2017	0.845 ppm	2	2	0.290 ppm - 1.40 ppm
2018	0.693 ppm	4	4	0.440 ppm - 1.10 ppm
2019	0.970 ppm	2	2	0.950 ppm - 0.990 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
2014-12-15	247350	2.40 ppm
2014-12-15	247351	0.200 ppm
2015-04-06	308511	0.180 ppm
2015-04-06	308521	0.660 ppm
2015-06-01	340057	0.120 ppm
2015-06-01	340058	0.230 ppm
2016-05-16	547041	0.460 ppm
2016-05-16	547042	1.40 ppm
2017-05-17	762637	0.290 ppm
2017-05-17	762638	1.40 ppm
2018-04-10	938583	0.740 ppm
2018-04-10	938584	0.490 ppm
2018-05-15	970806	1.10 ppm
2018-05-15	970811	0.440 ppm
2019-05-22	1157998	0.990 ppm
2019-05-22	1157999	0.950 ppm