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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Nitrate

Metropolitan District Commission

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

 

45

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

3

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2013N/A00N/A
20140.154 ppm32ND - 0.243 ppm
20150.0357 ppm72ND - 0.140 ppm
20160.0429 ppm74ND - 0.150 ppm
20170.0271 ppm144ND - 0.110 ppm
20180.0186 ppm72ND - 0.0700 ppm
20190.0429 ppm75ND - 0.130 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
2014-07-02AC72402GE0.243 ppm
2014-07-02AC72403GE0.219 ppm
2014-07-02AC72401GEND
2015-06-24AD00976GE0.140 ppm
2015-06-24AD00960GEND
2015-06-24AD00977GE0.110 ppm
2015-06-24AD01025GEND
2015-06-24AD01021GEND
2015-06-24AD00983GEND
2015-06-24AD00954GEND
2016-08-18AD38610GE0.150 ppm
2016-08-18AD38612GEND
2016-08-18AD38613GEND
2016-08-18AD38616GE0.01000 ppm
2016-08-18AD38617GEND
2016-08-18AD38611GE0.130 ppm
2016-08-18AD38609GE0.01000 ppm
2017-05-22AD63226GEND
2017-05-23AD63341GEND
2017-05-23AD63371GEND
2017-05-23AD63394GEND
2017-05-23AD63365GE0.1000 ppm
2017-05-23AD63364GE0.110 ppm
2017-05-23AD63393GEND
2017-08-14AD78146GE0.0900 ppm
2017-08-14AD78147GEND
2017-08-14AD78148GE0.0800 ppm
2017-08-14AD78153GEND
2017-08-14AD78154GEND
2017-08-14AD78149GEND
2017-08-14AD78150GEND
2018-07-18AE01632GE0.0600 ppm
2018-07-18AE01636GEND
2018-07-18AE01637GEND
2018-07-18AE01641GEND
2018-07-18AE01640GEND
2018-07-18AE01630GEND
2018-07-18AE01631GE0.0700 ppm
2019-12-03CE707400.0600 ppm
2019-12-03CE707390.0200 ppm
2019-12-03CE707410.0700 ppm
2019-12-03CE707330.0200 ppm
2019-12-03CE707340.130 ppm
2019-12-03CE70736ND
2019-12-03CE70735ND