Nitrate
Alameda County Water District
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.
Testing results - average by year
Year | Average result | Samples taken | Detections | Range of results |
---|---|---|---|---|
2014 | ND | 15 | 0 | ND |
2015 | ND | 17 | 0 | ND |
2016 | 0.317 ppm | 16 | 9 | ND - 0.978 ppm |
2017 | 0.308 ppm | 16 | 8 | ND - 0.910 ppm |
2018 | 0.380 ppm | 16 | 8 | ND - 1.16 ppm |
2019 | 0.309 ppm | 16 | 7 | ND - 1.49 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 |
---|---|---|
2014-03-04 | 5401-038-0925 | ND |
2014-03-04 | 5401-053-0955 | ND |
2014-03-04 | 5401-041-0930 | ND |
2014-03-04 | 5401-040-0845 | ND |
2014-04-29 | 5401-053-1025 | ND |
2014-04-29 | 5401-038-1005 | ND |
2014-04-29 | 5401-041-1000 | ND |
2014-07-21 | 5401-041-0955 | ND |
2014-07-21 | 5401-038-0955 | ND |
2014-07-22 | 5401-053-0905 | ND |
2014-07-22 | 5401-040-0925 | ND |
2014-10-14 | 5401-053-1145 | ND |
2014-10-14 | 5401-038-1000 | ND |
2014-10-14 | 5401-040-0900 | ND |
2014-10-14 | 5401-041-1025 | ND |
2015-01-27 | 5401-038-0955 | ND |
2015-01-27 | 5401-053-1047 | ND |
2015-01-27 | 5401-041-0945 | ND |
2015-01-27 | 5401-040-1015 | ND |
2015-04-21 | 5401-038-0945 | ND |
2015-04-21 | 5401-040-0910 | ND |
2015-04-21 | 5401-053-1010 | ND |
2015-04-21 | 5401-041-0935 | ND |
2015-06-09 | 5401-015-1120 | ND |
2015-07-06 | 5401-038-1000 | ND |
2015-07-06 | 5401-041-0921 | ND |
2015-07-06 | 5401-040-1105 | ND |
2015-07-21 | 5401-053-0905 | ND |
2015-10-20 | 5401-041-1025 | ND |
2015-10-20 | 5401-038-1035 | ND |
2015-10-20 | 5401-053-1115 | ND |
2015-10-20 | 5401-040-0940 | ND |
2016-01-19 | 5401-040-1035 | 0.978 ppm |
2016-01-19 | 5401-038-0855 | 0.400 ppm |
2016-01-19 | 5401-041-0910 | 0.400 ppm |
2016-01-19 | 5401-053-0935 | 0.496 ppm |
2016-04-26 | 5401-040-0945 | 0.618 ppm |
2016-04-26 | 5401-038-1035 | ND |
2016-04-26 | 5401-041-1025 | ND |
2016-05-10 | 5401-053-0915 | 0.571 ppm |
2016-07-11 | 5401-041-0820 | ND |
2016-07-11 | 5401-038-0850 | ND |
2016-07-19 | 5401-040-0825 | ND |
2016-07-19 | 5401-053-0955 | 0.592 ppm |
2016-10-04 | 5401-053-0925 | 0.592 ppm |
2016-10-04 | 5401-041-0855 | ND |
2016-10-04 | 5401-040-0825 | ND |
2016-10-04 | 5401-038-0905 | 0.419 ppm |
2017-01-17 | 5401-053-1025 | 0.582 ppm |
2017-01-17 | 5401-041-0925 | ND |
2017-01-17 | 5401-040-0937 | 0.910 ppm |
2017-01-17 | 5401-038-0925 | 0.430 ppm |
2017-04-18 | 5401-041-0910 | ND |
2017-04-18 | 5401-053-0948 | 0.603 ppm |
2017-04-18 | 5401-038-0925 | ND |
2017-04-18 | 5401-040-0820 | ND |
2017-07-17 | 5401-038-1030 | 0.505 ppm |
2017-07-17 | 5401-041-1005 | ND |
2017-07-25 | 5401-053-1032 | 0.685 ppm |
2017-07-25 | 5401-040-0915 | ND |
2017-10-03 | 5401-053-0958 | 0.710 ppm |
2017-10-03 | 5401-041-0925 | ND |
2017-10-03 | 5401-040-0857 | ND |
2017-10-03 | 5401-038-0915 | 0.503 ppm |
2018-01-16 | 5401-053-1050 | 0.629 ppm |
2018-01-16 | 5401-040-0920 | 1.16 ppm |
2018-01-16 | 5401-038-1110 | ND |
2018-01-16 | 5401-041-1025 | ND |
2018-04-17 | 5401-040-0835 | 0.565 ppm |
2018-04-17 | 5401-053-1003 | 0.934 ppm |
2018-04-17 | 5401-038-0926 | 0.659 ppm |
2018-04-17 | 5401-041-0939 | ND |
2018-07-11 | 5401-041-0755 | ND |
2018-07-11 | 5401-038-0726 | 0.850 ppm |
2018-07-17 | 5401-040-0850 | ND |
2018-07-17 | 5401-053-0845 | 0.650 ppm |
2018-10-16 | 5401-053-1035 | 0.640 ppm |
2018-10-16 | 5401-040-0820 | ND |
2018-10-16 | 5401-038-0950 | ND |
2018-10-16 | 5401-041-1005 | ND |
2019-02-05 | 5401-041-0930 | ND |
2019-02-05 | 5401-053-1000 | 0.600 ppm |
2019-02-05 | 5401-038-0940 | ND |
2019-02-05 | 5401-040-0820 | 1.49 ppm |
2019-05-13 | 5401-053-0955 | 0.590 ppm |
2019-05-14 | 5401-041-0915 | ND |
2019-05-14 | 5401-040-0815 | ND |
2019-05-14 | 5401-038-0900 | 0.450 ppm |
2019-07-16 | 5401-053-1030 | 0.590 ppm |
2019-07-16 | 5401-041-1000 | ND |
2019-07-16 | 5401-038-0935 | 0.620 ppm |
2019-07-16 | 5401-040-0755 | ND |
2019-10-15 | 5401-053-1000 | 0.600 ppm |
2019-10-15 | 5401-041-0910 | ND |
2019-10-15 | 5401-040-0825 | ND |
2019-10-15 | 5401-038-0925 | ND |