Nitrate
Brownsville Water Department
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 | 0.425 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.222 ppm - 0.627 ppm |
| 2015 | 0.462 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.287 ppm - 0.636 ppm |
| 2016 | 0.413 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.220 ppm - 0.605 ppm |
| 2017 | 0.458 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.265 ppm - 0.651 ppm |
| 2018 | 0.740 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.695 ppm - 0.785 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.377 ppm | 2 | 2 | 0.219 ppm - 0.535 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 | Result |
|---|---|
| 2014-01-20 | 0.627 ppm |
| 2014-01-20 | 0.222 ppm |
| 2015-02-03 | 0.636 ppm |
| 2015-02-03 | 0.287 ppm |
| 2016-01-25 | 0.605 ppm |
| 2016-01-25 | 0.220 ppm |
| 2017-02-13 | 0.651 ppm |
| 2017-02-13 | 0.265 ppm |
| 2018-02-05 | 0.785 ppm |
| 2018-02-05 | 0.695 ppm |
| 2019-01-09 | 0.535 ppm |
| 2019-01-09 | 0.219 ppm |