Nitrate

Emerald Coast Utilities Authority

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

164

Samples

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

163

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

Year	Average result	Samples taken	Detections	Range of results
2014	1.28 ppm	30	30	0.150 ppm - 3.20 ppm
2015	1.66 ppm	26	26	0.300 ppm - 3.90 ppm
2016	1.66 ppm	26	26	0.300 ppm - 3.70 ppm
2017	1.71 ppm	28	27	ND - 4.20 ppm
2018	1.72 ppm	25	25	0.300 ppm - 4.20 ppm
2019	1.59 ppm	29	29	0.200 ppm - 4.00 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	Result
2014-07-10	3.20 ppm
2014-07-10	0.150 ppm
2014-07-10	1.10 ppm
2014-07-10	0.200 ppm
2014-07-14	0.510 ppm
2014-07-14	1.60 ppm
2014-07-15	1.50 ppm
2014-07-15	0.710 ppm
2014-07-16	1.60 ppm
2014-07-16	2.20 ppm
2014-07-16	0.480 ppm
2014-07-16	1.80 ppm
2014-07-22	0.600 ppm
2014-07-22	0.330 ppm
2014-07-22	0.980 ppm
2014-07-22	1.60 ppm
2014-07-23	1.80 ppm
2014-07-23	0.820 ppm
2014-07-23	0.770 ppm
2014-07-23	0.790 ppm
2014-07-29	1.50 ppm
2014-07-29	2.50 ppm
2014-07-29	1.50 ppm
2014-08-13	2.70 ppm
2014-08-13	1.60 ppm
2014-09-02	0.800 ppm
2014-09-02	0.300 ppm
2014-09-02	1.90 ppm
2014-09-02	2.00 ppm
2014-09-02	1.000 ppm
2015-08-17	3.90 ppm
2015-08-17	1.20 ppm
2015-08-17	3.80 ppm
2015-08-17	0.400 ppm
2015-08-17	1.000 ppm
2015-08-17	1.80 ppm
2015-08-17	1.70 ppm
2015-08-17	2.40 ppm
2015-08-17	0.300 ppm
2015-08-17	1.10 ppm
2015-08-18	3.30 ppm
2015-08-18	0.500 ppm
2015-08-18	2.60 ppm
2015-08-18	1.80 ppm
2015-08-18	2.00 ppm
2015-08-18	0.400 ppm
2015-08-18	2.20 ppm
2015-08-18	0.800 ppm
2015-08-18	2.00 ppm
2015-08-19	1.40 ppm
2015-08-19	1.000 ppm
2015-08-19	2.10 ppm
2015-08-19	0.900 ppm
2015-08-19	1.10 ppm
2015-08-19	0.700 ppm
2015-08-19	2.70 ppm
2016-07-25	1.000 ppm
2016-07-25	0.700 ppm
2016-07-25	1.60 ppm
2016-07-25	1.10 ppm
2016-07-25	1.80 ppm
2016-07-25	2.20 ppm
2016-07-25	3.70 ppm
2016-07-25	1.90 ppm
2016-07-25	1.000 ppm
2016-07-25	1.000 ppm
2016-07-25	1.70 ppm
2016-07-25	1.80 ppm
2016-07-25	2.80 ppm
2016-07-25	2.10 ppm
2016-07-25	0.400 ppm
2016-07-25	1.40 ppm
2016-07-25	2.30 ppm
2016-07-25	1.50 ppm
2016-07-25	0.400 ppm
2016-07-26	0.500 ppm
2016-07-26	0.300 ppm
2016-07-26	2.30 ppm
2016-07-26	3.20 ppm
2016-07-26	0.900 ppm
2016-07-26	2.10 ppm
2016-07-26	3.40 ppm
2017-06-20	0.800 ppm
2017-06-20	0.500 ppm
2017-06-20	1.70 ppm
2017-06-20	1.40 ppm
2017-06-27	1.80 ppm
2017-06-28	1.60 ppm
2017-06-29	1.80 ppm
2017-07-11	2.10 ppm
2017-07-11	0.300 ppm
2017-07-11	0.400 ppm
2017-07-11	0.400 ppm
2017-07-17	2.30 ppm
2017-07-17	4.20 ppm
2017-07-17	2.10 ppm
2017-07-17	1.20 ppm
2017-07-19	3.00 ppm
2017-07-19	2.60 ppm
2017-07-19	4.00 ppm
2017-07-19	1.30 ppm
2017-07-19	1.10 ppm
2017-07-24	1.50 ppm
2017-07-24	0.900 ppm
2017-07-24	0.800 ppm
2017-07-25	2.90 ppm
2017-07-25	3.20 ppm
2017-08-30	2.10 ppm
2017-09-06	ND
2017-09-06	1.80 ppm
2018-08-28	0.800 ppm
2018-08-28	1.000 ppm
2018-08-28	1.80 ppm
2018-08-28	2.50 ppm
2018-08-28	3.20 ppm
2018-08-28	1.90 ppm
2018-08-28	1.70 ppm
2018-08-28	1.50 ppm
2018-08-28	2.50 ppm
2018-08-28	2.20 ppm
2018-08-29	1.90 ppm
2018-08-29	4.20 ppm
2018-08-29	1.000 ppm
2018-08-29	1.80 ppm
2018-08-29	3.30 ppm
2018-08-29	0.500 ppm
2018-08-29	1.000 ppm
2018-08-29	1.50 ppm
2018-08-29	0.400 ppm
2018-08-30	0.800 ppm
2018-08-30	2.10 ppm
2018-08-30	0.300 ppm
2018-08-30	1.30 ppm
2018-08-30	2.50 ppm
2018-08-30	1.20 ppm
2019-04-17	0.200 ppm
2019-04-17	0.400 ppm
2019-08-06	2.60 ppm
2019-08-06	2.90 ppm
2019-08-06	1.10 ppm
2019-08-06	4.00 ppm
2019-08-06	2.10 ppm
2019-08-06	2.20 ppm
2019-08-06	2.20 ppm
2019-08-06	1.70 ppm
2019-08-06	2.00 ppm
2019-08-06	1.90 ppm
2019-08-07	2.90 ppm
2019-08-07	1.10 ppm
2019-08-13	0.400 ppm
2019-08-13	2.50 ppm
2019-08-13	0.500 ppm
2019-08-13	0.800 ppm
2019-08-13	2.20 ppm
2019-08-13	1.20 ppm
2019-08-13	1.80 ppm
2019-08-13	1.20 ppm
2019-08-13	1.20 ppm
2019-08-13	2.40 ppm
2019-08-13	0.500 ppm
2019-08-13	1.50 ppm
2019-08-14	1.50 ppm
2019-08-14	0.900 ppm
2019-08-14	0.300 ppm