Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Nitrate

New Britain Water Department

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.

 

15

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

2

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20180.0880 ppm110.0880 ppm
20190.0956 ppm550.0380 ppm - 0.222 ppm
20200.166 ppm550.0560 ppm - 0.375 ppm
20210.0360 ppm110.0360 ppm
20220.0230 ppm110.0230 ppm
20230.0245 ppm21ND - 0.0490 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
2018-06-20NOX 2004975340.0880 ppm
2019-04-25NOX 2005296060.0460 ppm
2019-04-25NOX 2005296090.119 ppm
2019-04-25NOX 2005296070.0530 ppm
2019-04-25NOX 2005296080.222 ppm
2019-06-12NOX 2005359950.0380 ppm
2020-04-22NOX 2005732650.134 ppm
2020-04-22NOX 2005732680.129 ppm
2020-04-22NOX 2005732660.134 ppm
2020-04-22NOX 2005732670.375 ppm
2020-06-11NOX 2005788920.0560 ppm
2021-06-16NOX 2006212050.0360 ppm
2022-06-28N300204043 3002040460.0230 ppm
2023-04-17N300334310 3003343120.0490 ppm
2023-06-13N300364610 300364612ND