Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

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.

 

35

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

3

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.0186 ppm72ND - 0.0700 ppm
20190.0429 ppm75ND - 0.130 ppm
20200.231 ppm770.0600 ppm - 0.430 ppm
20210.0483 ppm330.0170 ppm - 0.0800 ppm
20220.0330 ppm32ND - 0.0550 ppm
20230.0448 ppm880.0110 ppm - 0.0800 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 Lab ID Result
2018-07-18AE01630GEND
2018-07-18AE01631GE0.0700 ppm
2018-07-18AE01636GEND
2018-07-18AE01637GEND
2018-07-18AE01641GEND
2018-07-18AE01640GEND
2018-07-18AE01632GE0.0600 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
2020-06-16AE60685GE0.120 ppm
2020-06-16AE60686GE0.410 ppm
2020-06-16AE60690GE0.120 ppm
2020-06-16AE60689GE0.140 ppm
2020-06-16AE60679GE0.0600 ppm
2020-06-16AE60680GE0.430 ppm
2020-06-16AE60681GE0.340 ppm
2021-11-23N300107450 3001074530.0480 ppm
2021-11-23N300107451 3001074590.0800 ppm
2021-11-29N300109635 3001096390.0170 ppm
2022-12-15N300287100 3002871030.0550 ppm
2022-12-15N300287072 300287075ND
2022-12-15N300287053 3002870560.0440 ppm
2023-12-06N300456222 3004562240.0720 ppm
2023-12-06N300456228 3004562300.0770 ppm
2023-12-06N300456234 3004562360.0110 ppm
2023-12-12N300459242 3004592430.0710 ppm
2023-12-12N300459261 3004592620.0150 ppm
2023-12-12N300459237 3004592390.0200 ppm
2023-12-12N300459258 3004592600.0800 ppm
2023-12-12N300459231 3004592330.0120 ppm