Nitrate
City of Coeur D Alene
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 | 1.01 ppm | 16 | 15 | ND - 2.46 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.768 ppm | 14 | 11 | ND - 2.07 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.954 ppm | 13 | 12 | ND - 1.95 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.856 ppm | 16 | 15 | ND - 1.79 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.941 ppm | 14 | 13 | ND - 2.63 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.761 ppm | 16 | 15 | ND - 1.72 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-03-14 | I180314053002 | 0.657 ppm |
| 2018-03-14 | I180314053003 | 1.52 ppm |
| 2018-07-03 | N20180700372 | 0.520 ppm |
| 2018-07-03 | N20180700371 | 0.950 ppm |
| 2018-07-03 | N20180700373 | 1.02 ppm |
| 2018-07-03 | N20180700375 | 0.950 ppm |
| 2018-07-03 | N20180700376 | 2.46 ppm |
| 2018-07-03 | N20180700377 | 1.49 ppm |
| 2018-07-03 | N2018070037 | 0.790 ppm |
| 2018-07-12 | N195271 | 1.52 ppm |
| 2018-07-12 | N195272 | ND |
| 2018-07-18 | I180718059002 | 0.974 ppm |
| 2018-07-18 | I180718059003 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2018-07-27 | N195755 | 0.830 ppm |
| 2018-11-07 | I181107083002 | 0.969 ppm |
| 2018-11-07 | I181107083003 | 0.722 ppm |
| 2019-03-13 | I190313055002 | 0.727 ppm |
| 2019-05-23 | I204187 | 1.55 ppm |
| 2019-05-23 | I204189 | 2.07 ppm |
| 2019-05-23 | I204186 | 1.85 ppm |
| 2019-05-29 | I204288 | 0.450 ppm |
| 2019-05-29 | I204287 | 0.820 ppm |
| 2019-05-29 | I204291 | ND |
| 2019-06-03 | I204360 | 0.582 ppm |
| 2019-06-03 | I204361 | 0.452 ppm |
| 2019-06-03 | I204362 | 0.731 ppm |
| 2019-07-17 | I190717053003 | 0.824 ppm |
| 2019-07-17 | I190717053002 | 0.702 ppm |
| 2019-09-05 | I208218 | ND |
| 2019-10-07 | N209673 | ND |
| 2020-05-04 | N215379 | 0.367 ppm |
| 2020-05-04 | N215378 | 1.17 ppm |
| 2020-05-11 | N215632 | 1.18 ppm |
| 2020-05-19 | N215887 | 0.751 ppm |
| 2020-06-11 | N216741 | 1.95 ppm |
| 2020-07-13 | N217842 | 0.698 ppm |
| 2020-07-13 | N217844 | 0.852 ppm |
| 2020-07-14 | N217924 | 1.75 ppm |
| 2020-07-14 | N217921 | 1.39 ppm |
| 2020-07-14 | N217923 | 0.620 ppm |
| 2020-07-14 | N217922 | 1.16 ppm |
| 2020-07-16 | N218076 | 0.520 ppm |
| 2020-07-21 | M218202 | ND |
| 2021-03-16 | N226180 | 0.929 ppm |
| 2021-03-18 | N226250 | 1.08 ppm |
| 2021-05-11 | N228051 | 0.762 ppm |
| 2021-06-17 | N229236 | ND |
| 2021-06-17 | N229235 | 0.275 ppm |
| 2021-07-19 | N230305 | 0.638 ppm |
| 2021-07-19 | N230303 | 0.579 ppm |
| 2021-07-19 | N230304 | 1.05 ppm |
| 2021-07-19 | N230306 | 1.79 ppm |
| 2021-07-19 | N230302 | 0.401 ppm |
| 2021-07-20 | N230329 | 1.43 ppm |
| 2021-09-02 | IMBI011203 | 0.941 ppm |
| 2021-09-02 | IMBI011202 | 0.618 ppm |
| 2021-12-14 | NMBL048203 | 0.924 ppm |
| 2021-12-14 | NMBL048202 | 0.563 ppm |
| 2021-12-29 | N236720 | 1.71 ppm |
| 2022-03-24 | IMCC080402 | 0.426 ppm |
| 2022-03-24 | IMCC080403 | 0.994 ppm |
| 2022-04-26 | I239993 | 0.345 ppm |
| 2022-04-27 | I240138 | 0.959 ppm |
| 2022-04-27 | I240141 | ND |
| 2022-04-27 | I240143 | 0.626 ppm |
| 2022-04-27 | I240183 | 0.374 ppm |
| 2022-04-28 | I240187 | 2.63 ppm |
| 2022-05-02 | I240593 | 1.91 ppm |
| 2022-05-02 | I240615 | 0.371 ppm |
| 2022-05-02 | I240620 | 1.36 ppm |
| 2022-05-02 | I240583 | 0.802 ppm |
| 2022-08-10 | I244760 | 1.77 ppm |
| 2022-11-09 | PHDMCK031002 | 0.609 ppm |
| 2023-02-13 | N251986 | 1.72 ppm |
| 2023-03-23 | IMDC083402 | 0.606 ppm |
| 2023-05-16 | N254947 | 1.71 ppm |
| 2023-05-16 | N254948 | 0.305 ppm |
| 2023-05-16 | N254949 | 0.875 ppm |
| 2023-05-16 | N254950 | 1.03 ppm |
| 2023-05-16 | N254951 | 0.266 ppm |
| 2023-06-07 | N255725 | 0.816 ppm |
| 2023-06-07 | N255726 | ND |
| 2023-06-07 | N255727 | 0.925 ppm |
| 2023-06-07 | N255728 | 0.489 ppm |
| 2023-06-07 | N255729 | 0.654 ppm |
| 2023-07-21 | IMDG069102 | 0.663 ppm |
| 2023-07-21 | IMDG069103 | 0.833 ppm |
| 2023-11-28 | PHDMDK072103 | 0.779 ppm |
| 2023-11-28 | PHDMDK072102 | 0.505 ppm |