Nitrate
South Tahoe PUD - Main
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 | 0.247 ppm | 12 | 12 | 0.0391 ppm - 0.629 ppm |
| 2015 | 0.237 ppm | 12 | 12 | 0.0280 ppm - 0.578 ppm |
| 2016 | 0.213 ppm | 11 | 11 | 0.0290 ppm - 0.530 ppm |
| 2017 | 0.216 ppm | 12 | 12 | 0.0440 ppm - 0.544 ppm |
| 2018 | 0.238 ppm | 12 | 12 | 0.0440 ppm - 0.587 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.247 ppm | 12 | 12 | 0.0280 ppm - 0.871 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-06-18 | 2531-060-1225 | 0.210 ppm |
| 2014-06-18 | 2531-058-0852 | 0.134 ppm |
| 2014-06-18 | 2531-050-1006 | 0.373 ppm |
| 2014-06-18 | 2531-042-1223 | 0.110 ppm |
| 2014-06-18 | 2531-023-1131 | 0.233 ppm |
| 2014-06-20 | 2531-036-1606 | 0.252 ppm |
| 2014-07-16 | 2531-057-0947 | 0.0551 ppm |
| 2014-07-16 | 2531-054-1123 | 0.0660 ppm |
| 2014-07-16 | 2531-052-1030 | 0.331 ppm |
| 2014-07-16 | 2531-012-1055 | 0.629 ppm |
| 2014-08-20 | 2531-016-1241 | 0.532 ppm |
| 2014-08-20 | 2531-006-0953 | 0.0391 ppm |
| 2015-06-24 | 2531-060-0850 | 0.233 ppm |
| 2015-06-24 | 2531-058-0820 | 0.136 ppm |
| 2015-06-24 | 2531-023-0920 | 0.242 ppm |
| 2015-06-24 | 2531-050-0905 | 0.377 ppm |
| 2015-06-24 | 2531-042-0820 | 0.0280 ppm |
| 2015-06-24 | 2531-036-0938 | 0.248 ppm |
| 2015-07-22 | 2531-052-0921 | 0.325 ppm |
| 2015-07-22 | 2531-057-0836 | 0.0551 ppm |
| 2015-07-22 | 2531-054-0853 | 0.0621 ppm |
| 2015-07-22 | 2531-012-0951 | 0.578 ppm |
| 2015-08-04 | 2531-006-0922 | 0.0411 ppm |
| 2015-08-04 | 2531-016-1028 | 0.520 ppm |
| 2016-06-23 | 2531-036-1215 | 0.198 ppm |
| 2016-06-23 | 2531-023-1241 | 0.244 ppm |
| 2016-06-23 | 2531-058-1135 | 0.138 ppm |
| 2016-06-23 | 2531-050-1105 | 0.357 ppm |
| 2016-06-23 | 2531-060-1025 | 0.253 ppm |
| 2016-06-23 | 2531-042-0955 | 0.0290 ppm |
| 2016-07-20 | 2531-012-0906 | 0.530 ppm |
| 2016-07-20 | 2531-057-0930 | 0.0540 ppm |
| 2016-07-20 | 2531-054-0950 | 0.0620 ppm |
| 2016-08-24 | 2531-016-0923 | 0.433 ppm |
| 2016-08-24 | 2531-006-0917 | 0.0430 ppm |
| 2017-06-13 | 2531-060-1106 | 0.263 ppm |
| 2017-06-13 | 2531-058-0832 | 0.138 ppm |
| 2017-06-13 | 2531-036-1143 | 0.192 ppm |
| 2017-06-13 | 2531-023-0955 | 0.210 ppm |
| 2017-06-13 | 2531-042-1036 | 0.0440 ppm |
| 2017-06-13 | 2531-050-0906 | 0.338 ppm |
| 2017-07-11 | 2531-054-0849 | 0.0700 ppm |
| 2017-07-11 | 2531-012-1255 | 0.544 ppm |
| 2017-07-11 | 2531-052-1215 | 0.331 ppm |
| 2017-07-11 | 2531-057-1127 | 0.0610 ppm |
| 2017-08-09 | 2531-006-0939 | 0.0470 ppm |
| 2017-08-09 | 2531-016-1104 | 0.355 ppm |
| 2018-06-05 | 2531-060-1318 | 0.260 ppm |
| 2018-06-05 | 2531-023-1344 | 0.215 ppm |
| 2018-06-12 | 2531-006-1011 | 0.0440 ppm |
| 2018-07-18 | 2531-036-0910 | 0.194 ppm |
| 2018-07-18 | 2531-058-0948 | 0.140 ppm |
| 2018-07-18 | 2531-050-1013 | 0.340 ppm |
| 2018-07-18 | 2531-057-1023 | 0.0570 ppm |
| 2018-07-18 | 2531-054-1122 | 0.0570 ppm |
| 2018-07-22 | 2531-012-0940 | 0.587 ppm |
| 2018-08-22 | 2531-016-1113 | 0.453 ppm |
| 2018-08-22 | 2531-052-1016 | 0.173 ppm |
| 2018-08-22 | 2531-042-1000 | 0.331 ppm |
| 2019-06-18 | 2531-016-1319 | 0.871 ppm |
| 2019-06-18 | 2531-042-0933 | 0.295 ppm |
| 2019-06-18 | 2531-060-1035 | 0.0280 ppm |
| 2019-06-18 | 2531-012-1000 | 0.607 ppm |
| 2019-07-10 | 2531-036-1549 | 0.203 ppm |
| 2019-07-24 | 2531-006-1531 | 0.0450 ppm |
| 2019-08-07 | 2531-058-1030 | 0.140 ppm |
| 2019-08-07 | 2531-054-1135 | 0.0590 ppm |
| 2019-08-07 | 2531-050-1108 | 0.313 ppm |
| 2019-08-20 | 2531-023-1000 | 0.212 ppm |
| 2019-08-20 | 2531-052-0934 | 0.132 ppm |
| 2019-10-22 | 2531-057-0937 | 0.0590 ppm |