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.
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 | 0.0880 ppm | 1 | 1 | 0.0880 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.0956 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.0380 ppm - 0.222 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.166 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.0560 ppm - 0.375 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.0360 ppm | 1 | 1 | 0.0360 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.0230 ppm | 1 | 1 | 0.0230 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.0245 ppm | 2 | 1 | ND - 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-06-20 | NOX 200497534 | 0.0880 ppm |
| 2019-04-25 | NOX 200529606 | 0.0460 ppm |
| 2019-04-25 | NOX 200529609 | 0.119 ppm |
| 2019-04-25 | NOX 200529607 | 0.0530 ppm |
| 2019-04-25 | NOX 200529608 | 0.222 ppm |
| 2019-06-12 | NOX 200535995 | 0.0380 ppm |
| 2020-04-22 | NOX 200573265 | 0.134 ppm |
| 2020-04-22 | NOX 200573268 | 0.129 ppm |
| 2020-04-22 | NOX 200573266 | 0.134 ppm |
| 2020-04-22 | NOX 200573267 | 0.375 ppm |
| 2020-06-11 | NOX 200578892 | 0.0560 ppm |
| 2021-06-16 | NOX 200621205 | 0.0360 ppm |
| 2022-06-28 | N300204043 300204046 | 0.0230 ppm |
| 2023-04-17 | N300334310 300334312 | 0.0490 ppm |
| 2023-06-13 | N300364610 300364612 | ND |