Nitrate

Montecito 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.

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTAMINANT

137

Samples

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

124

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

Year	Average result	Samples taken	Detections	Range of results
2014	4.66 ppm	10	10	0.723 ppm - 6.33 ppm
2015	4.76 ppm	10	10	0.678 ppm - 6.46 ppm
2016	4.37 ppm	10	10	0.900 ppm - 5.80 ppm
2017	1.93 ppm	47	42	ND - 7.20 ppm
2018	1.56 ppm	43	36	ND - 6.40 ppm
2019	1.55 ppm	17	16	ND - 5.30 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
2014-02-10	5867-003-1145	5.49 ppm
2014-02-10	5867-005-1145	3.19 ppm
2014-06-23	5867-001-1120	5.29 ppm
2014-06-23	5867-003-1130	3.48 ppm
2014-06-23	5867-005-1145	6.33 ppm
2014-06-23	5867-040-1205	0.723 ppm
2014-08-04	5867-005-1005	6.10 ppm
2014-08-27	5867-001-1100	4.81 ppm
2014-11-17	5867-001-1010	5.01 ppm
2014-11-17	5867-005-0955	6.14 ppm
2015-02-09	5867-001-1130	5.22 ppm
2015-02-09	5867-005-1150	6.30 ppm
2015-05-11	5867-001-1215	4.95 ppm
2015-05-11	5867-003-1155	2.85 ppm
2015-05-11	5867-005-1135	6.33 ppm
2015-05-11	5867-040-1115	0.678 ppm
2015-08-03	5867-001-1130	4.30 ppm
2015-08-03	5867-005-1200	5.40 ppm
2015-11-02	5867-001-1010	5.13 ppm
2015-11-02	5867-005-0908	6.46 ppm
2016-02-22	5867-001-1040	4.70 ppm
2016-02-22	5867-005-1055	4.10 ppm
2016-05-23	5867-001-0910	4.90 ppm
2016-05-23	5867-003-0900	3.30 ppm
2016-05-23	5867-005-1150	5.50 ppm
2016-05-23	5867-040-0840	0.900 ppm
2016-08-01	5867-001-0900	4.60 ppm
2016-08-01	5867-005-0830	5.80 ppm
2016-11-07	5867-001-1130	4.60 ppm
2016-11-07	5867-005-1145	5.30 ppm
2017-02-06	5867-001-1030	5.00 ppm
2017-02-06	5867-005-1010	6.50 ppm
2017-04-03	5867-047-1130	0.900 ppm
2017-04-03	5867-048-1115	1.90 ppm
2017-04-10	5867-048-1030	2.10 ppm
2017-04-19	5867-048-1110	1.80 ppm
2017-04-24	5867-048-1120	1.70 ppm
2017-05-01	5867-001-1025	5.20 ppm
2017-05-01	5867-003-1015	3.10 ppm
2017-05-01	5867-005-1005	6.60 ppm
2017-05-01	5867-040-0955	0.900 ppm
2017-05-01	5867-047-1040	0.800 ppm
2017-05-01	5867-048-1030	4.50 ppm
2017-05-08	5867-048-1115	1.50 ppm
2017-05-17	5867-048-0955	1.50 ppm
2017-05-22	5867-048-1010	1.30 ppm
2017-05-31	5867-048-1120	1.40 ppm
2017-06-05	5867-047-1040	0.500 ppm
2017-06-05	5867-048-1050	1.50 ppm
2017-06-26	5867-048-1040	1.40 ppm
2017-07-06	5867-048-1035	1.20 ppm
2017-07-10	5867-047-1120	ND
2017-07-10	5867-048-1130	1.10 ppm
2017-07-17	5867-048-1145	2.40 ppm
2017-07-24	5867-048-1015	1.10 ppm
2017-08-07	5867-001-0950	5.00 ppm
2017-08-07	5867-005-0945	6.10 ppm
2017-08-28	5867-048-1025	0.900 ppm
2017-09-06	5867-047-1015	ND
2017-09-06	5867-048-1018	0.900 ppm
2017-09-11	5867-048-1024	0.800 ppm
2017-09-20	5867-048-1035	0.900 ppm
2017-10-02	5867-047-1140	ND
2017-10-02	5867-048-1150	0.800 ppm
2017-10-09	5867-048-1055	0.800 ppm
2017-10-16	5867-048-1020	0.800 ppm
2017-10-23	5867-048-1025	0.800 ppm
2017-10-31	5867-048-1130	0.700 ppm
2017-11-06	5867-005-0945	5.50 ppm
2017-11-06	5867-047-1100	ND
2017-11-06	5867-048-1110	0.700 ppm
2017-11-13	5867-048-1100	0.800 ppm
2017-11-20	5867-048-1100	0.700 ppm
2017-11-27	5867-001-1010	7.20 ppm
2017-11-27	5867-048-1150	0.900 ppm
2017-12-04	5867-047-1105	ND
2017-12-04	5867-048-1110	0.700 ppm
2018-03-12	5867-048-1125	0.800 ppm
2018-03-19	5867-001-1015	5.00 ppm
2018-03-19	5867-005-0955	6.00 ppm
2018-03-19	5867-047-1125	ND
2018-03-19	5867-048-1130	0.900 ppm
2018-03-26	5867-048-0910	0.900 ppm
2018-04-02	5867-047-1100	ND
2018-04-02	5867-048-1057	0.800 ppm
2018-04-16	5867-048-1035	0.700 ppm
2018-04-23	5867-048-1105	0.700 ppm
2018-04-30	5867-048-1045	0.600 ppm
2018-05-07	5867-047-1130	ND
2018-05-07	5867-048-1135	0.800 ppm
2018-05-14	5867-048-1055	0.800 ppm
2018-05-21	5867-048-1120	0.700 ppm
2018-05-28	5867-048-1055	0.800 ppm
2018-06-11	5867-048-1045	0.800 ppm
2018-06-18	5867-048-1020	0.800 ppm
2018-06-25	5867-001-1005	5.20 ppm
2018-06-25	5867-003-0950	3.10 ppm
2018-06-25	5867-005-0935	6.40 ppm
2018-06-25	5867-048-1115	0.800 ppm
2018-07-09	5867-048-1050	0.700 ppm
2018-07-16	5867-047-1120	ND
2018-07-16	5867-048-1130	0.700 ppm
2018-07-23	5867-048-1100	0.700 ppm
2018-07-30	5867-048-1115	0.800 ppm
2018-08-06	5867-048-0930	0.700 ppm
2018-08-13	5867-048-1125	0.700 ppm
2018-08-15	5867-001-0905	4.50 ppm
2018-08-15	5867-005-0900	5.60 ppm
2018-08-20	5867-048-1110	0.700 ppm
2018-08-27	5867-048-1125	1.60 ppm
2018-09-10	5867-047-1100	0.800 ppm
2018-09-10	5867-048-1050	0.800 ppm
2018-10-01	5867-047-1015	ND
2018-10-01	5867-048-1015	0.700 ppm
2018-11-05	5867-047-1120	ND
2018-11-05	5867-048-1130	0.700 ppm
2018-11-12	5867-001-1015	4.60 ppm
2018-11-12	5867-005-1145	5.40 ppm
2018-12-03	5867-047-0830	ND
2018-12-03	5867-048-0830	0.700 ppm
2019-01-14	5867-047-0930	ND
2019-01-14	5867-048-0930	0.800 ppm
2019-02-06	5867-047-1055	0.400 ppm
2019-02-06	5867-048-1055	0.900 ppm
2019-03-01	5867-040-0830	0.700 ppm
2019-03-25	5867-047-0840	0.400 ppm
2019-03-25	5867-048-0835	0.900 ppm
2019-04-22	5867-048-1135	1.000 ppm
2019-05-15	5867-001-0955	5.30 ppm
2019-05-15	5867-003-0950	1.70 ppm
2019-05-15	5867-040-0935	1.000 ppm
2019-05-15	5867-047-1045	0.500 ppm
2019-05-15	5867-048-1055	2.00 ppm
2019-06-18	5867-047-1020	0.400 ppm
2019-06-18	5867-048-1025	1.000 ppm
2019-08-06	5867-001-1010	4.80 ppm
2019-11-25	5867-001-0900	4.50 ppm