Nitrate
Quint-mar Water Authority
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 0.0165 ppm | 6 | 6 | 0.01000 ppm - 0.0220 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.0190 ppm | 7 | 7 | 0.0120 ppm - 0.0230 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.0195 ppm | 6 | 6 | 0.0140 ppm - 0.0290 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.0187 ppm | 7 | 7 | 0.01000 ppm - 0.0260 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.0223 ppm | 6 | 6 | 0.0170 ppm - 0.0310 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.0182 ppm | 6 | 6 | 0.0130 ppm - 0.0260 ppm |
ppm = parts per million
State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water
EWG Health Guideline: 0.14 ppm
The EWG health guideline of 0.14 parts per million, or ppm, for nitrate and nitrite is based on the equivalent health guideline for nitrate, as defined in a peer-reviewed scientific study by EWG. This guideline represents a one-in-one-million annual cancer risk level.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-11-15 | AB31866 | 0.0220 ppm |
| 2018-11-15 | AB31867 | 0.0170 ppm |
| 2018-11-15 | AB31868 | 0.01000 ppm |
| 2018-11-15 | AB31869 | 0.0150 ppm |
| 2018-11-15 | AB31870 | 0.0180 ppm |
| 2018-11-15 | AB31865 | 0.0170 ppm |
| 2019-04-17 | AB34285 | 0.0120 ppm |
| 2019-04-17 | AB34286 | 0.0160 ppm |
| 2019-04-17 | AB34284 | 0.0160 ppm |
| 2019-04-17 | AB34283 | 0.0220 ppm |
| 2019-04-17 | AB34282 | 0.0210 ppm |
| 2019-04-17 | AB34281 | 0.0230 ppm |
| 2019-04-17 | AB34280 | 0.0230 ppm |
| 2020-07-20 | AB43464 | 0.0210 ppm |
| 2020-07-20 | AB43465 | 0.0150 ppm |
| 2020-07-20 | AB43466 | 0.0290 ppm |
| 2020-07-20 | AB43467 | 0.0140 ppm |
| 2020-07-20 | AB43468 | 0.0170 ppm |
| 2020-07-20 | AB43469 | 0.0210 ppm |
| 2021-07-13 | AB51409 | 0.0220 ppm |
| 2021-07-13 | AB51415 | 0.0260 ppm |
| 2021-07-13 | AB51414 | 0.0190 ppm |
| 2021-07-13 | AB51413 | 0.0170 ppm |
| 2021-07-13 | AB51412 | 0.01000 ppm |
| 2021-07-13 | AB51411 | 0.0140 ppm |
| 2021-07-13 | AB51410 | 0.0230 ppm |
| 2022-10-18 | AB63055 | 0.0240 ppm |
| 2022-10-18 | AB63056 | 0.0310 ppm |
| 2022-10-18 | AB63057 | 0.0210 ppm |
| 2022-10-18 | AB63058 | 0.0200 ppm |
| 2022-10-18 | AB63059 | 0.0210 ppm |
| 2022-10-18 | AB63060 | 0.0170 ppm |
| 2023-07-17 | AB69859 | 0.0130 ppm |
| 2023-07-17 | AB69860 | 0.0190 ppm |
| 2023-07-17 | AB69861 | 0.0210 ppm |
| 2023-07-17 | AB69862 | 0.0140 ppm |
| 2023-07-17 | AB69863 | 0.0160 ppm |
| 2023-07-17 | AB69864 | 0.0260 ppm |