Nitrate

Templeton Munic. Light and Water 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

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	0.598 ppm	4	4	0.210 ppm - 1.60 ppm
2015	0.583 ppm	4	4	0.160 ppm - 1.70 ppm
2016	0.760 ppm	4	4	0.200 ppm - 1.40 ppm
2017	0.463 ppm	5	5	0.184 ppm - 1.39 ppm
2018	0.601 ppm	6	6	0.209 ppm - 1.43 ppm
2019	0.834 ppm	4	4	0.257 ppm - 1.37 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
2014-04-08	0.340 ppm
2014-04-08	0.240 ppm
2014-04-08	0.210 ppm
2014-04-08	1.60 ppm
2015-04-14	1.70 ppm
2015-04-14	0.160 ppm
2015-04-14	0.260 ppm
2015-04-14	0.210 ppm
2016-04-05	0.240 ppm
2016-04-05	0.200 ppm
2016-04-05	1.40 ppm
2016-04-05	1.20 ppm
2017-04-11	1.39 ppm
2017-04-11	0.184 ppm
2017-05-02	0.214 ppm
2017-05-02	0.252 ppm
2017-08-30	0.277 ppm
2018-04-17	0.243 ppm
2018-04-17	0.209 ppm
2018-04-25	1.43 ppm
2018-04-25	1.27 ppm
2018-04-25	0.224 ppm
2018-04-25	0.229 ppm
2019-04-09	0.257 ppm
2019-04-09	0.340 ppm
2019-04-09	1.37 ppm
2019-04-09	1.37 ppm