Nitrate

Freeport

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

Samples

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

Year	Average result	Samples taken	Detections	Range of results
2014	0.0280 ppm	3	1	ND - 0.0841 ppm
2015	0.0773 ppm	3	1	ND - 0.232 ppm
2016	ND	3	0	ND
2017	0.139 ppm	3	2	ND - 0.293 ppm
2018	ND	3	0	ND
2019	0.0433 ppm	3	1	ND - 0.130 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	Lab ID	Result
2014-05-19	1405A24-001B	ND
2014-10-14	1410833-002B	ND
2014-10-14	1410833-001B	0.0841 ppm
2015-04-15	1504C98-003B	ND
2015-10-20	1510H34-001B	0.232 ppm
2015-11-23	1511H38-001B	ND
2016-04-12	1604857-001B	ND
2016-10-12	1610A27-001B	ND
2016-10-12	1610A27-002B	ND
2017-04-18	1704C31-001B	0.293 ppm
2017-10-12	1710A73-002B	ND
2017-10-12	1710A73-001B	0.123 ppm
2018-04-11	1804873-003B	ND
2018-10-10	1810892-001B	ND
2018-10-10	1810892-002B	ND
2019-04-09	1904808-001B	ND
2019-10-08	9101958-01	0.130 ppm
2019-10-08	9101958-02	ND