Nitrate

Rockford

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

142

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	0.674 ppm	22	13	ND - 4.40 ppm
2015	0.521 ppm	28	12	ND - 4.10 ppm
2016	0.592 ppm	26	17	ND - 4.30 ppm
2017	0.621 ppm	22	9	ND - 4.10 ppm
2018	0.642 ppm	22	16	ND - 4.10 ppm
2019	0.615 ppm	22	15	ND - 3.80 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
2014-04-16	4042724-01	0.0600 ppm
2014-04-16	4042724-02	1.80 ppm
2014-04-29	4044301-03	0.0400 ppm
2014-04-30	4044301-01	0.260 ppm
2014-04-30	4044301-02	4.40 ppm
2014-04-30	4044301-04	ND
2014-04-30	4044301-05	ND
2014-05-14	4052114-01	ND
2014-05-14	4052114-02	0.0400 ppm
2014-05-14	4052114-03	ND
2014-07-30	4074473-01	1.90 ppm
2014-11-19	4112673-01	0.330 ppm
2014-11-19	4112673-02	ND
2014-11-19	4112673-03	ND
2014-11-19	4112673-04	3.70 ppm
2014-11-19	4112673-05	0.0300 ppm
2014-12-03	4120551-01	ND
2014-12-10	4121748-01	1.90 ppm
2014-12-10	4121748-02	ND
2014-12-17	4122805-02	ND
2014-12-31	4123869-02	0.170 ppm
2014-12-31	4123869-01	0.190 ppm
2015-01-28	5013651-01	ND
2015-01-28	5013651-02	ND
2015-02-11	5021699-01	ND
2015-04-08	5041271-02	0.0400 ppm
2015-04-22	5043414-01	0.290 ppm
2015-04-22	5043414-02	1.50 ppm
2015-04-22	5043414-03	4.10 ppm
2015-05-13	5051942-01	1.90 ppm
2015-05-13	5051942-05	ND
2015-05-13	5051942-06	ND
2015-05-20	5053045-01	ND
2015-05-27	5053787-01	ND
2015-05-27	5053787-02	ND
2015-06-03	5060644-01	ND
2015-06-10	5061807-01	ND
2015-07-22	5073712-01	2.60 ppm
2015-10-21	5103178-01	0.240 ppm
2015-10-21	5103178-02	0.310 ppm
2015-10-21	5103178-06	ND
2015-10-21	5103178-03	0.0600 ppm
2015-10-21	5103178-04	3.30 ppm
2015-10-21	5103178-05	0.220 ppm
2015-10-28	5104119-03	ND
2015-10-28	5104119-01	ND
2015-11-04	5110645-01	ND
2015-11-04	5110645-02	ND
2015-11-04	5110645-03	ND
2015-12-09	5121573-01	0.0400 ppm
2016-04-20	6043262-01	0.0500 ppm
2016-04-20	6043262-02	0.370 ppm
2016-04-20	6043262-03	4.30 ppm
2016-04-20	6043262-04	0.0500 ppm
2016-04-27	6044108-01	ND
2016-04-27	6044108-02	0.0500 ppm
2016-04-27	6044108-03	ND
2016-04-27	6044108-04	ND
2016-04-27	6044108-05	ND
2016-05-11	6051794-01	0.0900 ppm
2016-05-11	6051794-02	1.60 ppm
2016-06-08	6061378-01	0.0300 ppm
2016-07-27	6074414-01	1.90 ppm
2016-07-27	6074413-01	2.80 ppm
2016-07-27	6074414-02	0.0300 ppm
2016-10-26	6104047-01	0.290 ppm
2016-10-26	6104047-02	0.0300 ppm
2016-10-26	6104047-03	0.0200 ppm
2016-11-09	6111726-01	ND
2016-11-09	6111726-02	ND
2016-11-16	6112706-05	0.220 ppm
2016-11-16	6112706-01	ND
2016-11-16	6112706-02	ND
2016-11-16	6112706-03	3.30 ppm
2016-11-16	6112706-04	0.250 ppm
2016-12-07	6121136-01	ND
2017-06-14	7062746-01	1.60 ppm
2017-06-14	7062746-02	0.0500 ppm
2017-06-14	7062746-03	ND
2017-06-14	7062746-04	0.210 ppm
2017-06-14	7062746-05	1.50 ppm
2017-06-14	7062746-06	4.10 ppm
2017-06-21	7063899-01	ND
2017-06-21	7063899-02	ND
2017-06-21	7063899-03	ND
2017-06-21	7063899-04	ND
2017-06-21	7063899-05	ND
2017-06-21	7063899-06	ND
2017-07-26	7075066-01	2.40 ppm
2017-08-02	7080621-01	ND
2017-11-15	7112878-01	0.340 ppm
2017-11-15	7112878-02	ND
2017-11-15	7112878-03	ND
2017-11-15	7112878-04	ND
2017-11-15	7112878-05	3.20 ppm
2017-11-15	7112878-06	ND
2017-11-15	7112878-07	0.270 ppm
2017-12-06	7121184-05	ND
2018-04-25	8044519-01	1.70 ppm
2018-04-25	8044519-02	1.50 ppm
2018-04-25	8044519-03	4.10 ppm
2018-04-25	8044519-05	ND
2018-04-25	8044519-06	ND
2018-04-25	8044519-07	ND
2018-04-25	8044519-09	ND
2018-05-30	8055072-03	0.0400 ppm
2018-05-30	8055072-04	ND
2018-05-30	8055072-05	0.0300 ppm
2018-06-20	8063745-01	0.0700 ppm
2018-06-20	8063745-03	0.410 ppm
2018-06-20	8063745-04	0.0300 ppm
2018-08-29	8085808-01	1.90 ppm
2018-12-11	8122328-01	0.310 ppm
2018-12-11	8122328-02	ND
2018-12-11	8122328-04	0.0400 ppm
2018-12-11	8122328-05	0.0400 ppm
2018-12-11	8122328-08	3.60 ppm
2018-12-11	8122328-10	0.270 ppm
2018-12-12	8122328-07	0.0400 ppm
2018-12-12	8122328-09	0.0400 ppm
2019-05-14	9053342-01	0.0700 ppm
2019-05-14	9053342-02	ND
2019-05-14	9053342-03	0.0300 ppm
2019-05-14	9053342-04	0.0400 ppm
2019-05-14	9053342-05	ND
2019-05-28	9055555-01	1.60 ppm
2019-05-28	9055555-02	0.0800 ppm
2019-05-28	9055555-03	1.40 ppm
2019-05-28	9055555-04	3.80 ppm
2019-05-28	9055555-05	0.0300 ppm
2019-08-13	9083166-01	2.30 ppm
2019-12-03	9120863-01	0.410 ppm
2019-12-03	9120863-02	ND
2019-12-03	9120863-03	ND
2019-12-03	9120863-04	ND
2019-12-03	9120863-05	ND
2019-12-03	9120863-06	0.360 ppm
2019-12-03	9120863-07	0.110 ppm
2019-12-10	9122411-01	0.0400 ppm
2019-12-10	9122411-02	ND
2019-12-10	9122411-03	0.0500 ppm
2019-12-10	9122411-04	3.20 ppm