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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Nitrate

Ames Water Treatment Plant

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

 

22

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2013N/A00N/A
2014ND10ND
2015ND10ND
2016ND10ND
2017ND10ND
2018ND50ND
2019ND130ND

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
2014-02-132032778ND
2015-01-15150081ND
2016-02-18160407ND
2017-02-08170291ND
2018-03-14180566ND
2018-09-05182333-NND
2018-10-17182750ND
2018-11-28183152ND
2018-12-05183217ND
2019-01-16190125-1ND
2019-01-29190206ND
2019-02-06190265ND
2019-03-13190523ND
2019-04-22190862ND
2019-05-15191057ND
2019-06-05191213-NND
2019-07-22191615-NND
2019-08-12191888ND
2019-09-10192126ND
2019-10-02192288-NND
2019-11-20192664ND
2019-12-10192798ND