Nitrate
Alpine Lakes Ranch Water Company
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 | 0.129 ppm | 3 | 2 | ND - 0.311 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.110 ppm | 3 | 3 | 0.0750 ppm - 0.152 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.0477 ppm | 3 | 3 | 0.0280 ppm - 0.0720 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.0767 ppm | 3 | 2 | ND - 0.186 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.0823 ppm | 10 | 8 | ND - 0.190 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.0737 ppm | 3 | 3 | 0.0240 ppm - 0.161 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 | Result |
|---|---|
| 2018-06-18 | 0.311 ppm |
| 2018-08-15 | ND |
| 2018-08-28 | 0.0760 ppm |
| 2019-08-12 | 0.152 ppm |
| 2019-08-13 | 0.104 ppm |
| 2019-08-28 | 0.0750 ppm |
| 2020-09-15 | 0.0280 ppm |
| 2020-10-12 | 0.0430 ppm |
| 2020-10-12 | 0.0720 ppm |
| 2021-09-02 | 0.0440 ppm |
| 2021-09-02 | ND |
| 2021-09-02 | 0.186 ppm |
| 2022-02-21 | 0.190 ppm |
| 2022-02-21 | ND |
| 2022-05-09 | 0.0230 ppm |
| 2022-05-09 | 0.151 ppm |
| 2022-07-21 | 0.156 ppm |
| 2022-07-21 | ND |
| 2022-11-17 | 0.0800 ppm |
| 2022-11-22 | 0.154 ppm |
| 2022-11-22 | 0.0200 ppm |
| 2022-12-29 | 0.0490 ppm |
| 2023-02-13 | 0.161 ppm |
| 2023-02-13 | 0.0240 ppm |
| 2023-08-01 | 0.0360 ppm |