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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Nitrate

Cambridge Water Department (MWRA)

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

 

205

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

203

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20140.330 ppm220.310 ppm - 0.350 ppm
20150.363 ppm36360.238 ppm - 0.552 ppm
20160.308 ppm41410.0490 ppm - 0.547 ppm
20170.507 ppm42420.347 ppm - 0.687 ppm
20180.421 ppm42420.332 ppm - 0.550 ppm
20190.413 ppm42420.315 ppm - 0.522 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
2014-08-040.350 ppm
2014-08-180.310 ppm
2015-07-010.513 ppm
2015-07-010.534 ppm
2015-07-010.528 ppm
2015-07-010.524 ppm
2015-07-010.524 ppm
2015-07-010.552 ppm
2015-07-150.476 ppm
2015-07-150.487 ppm
2015-07-150.483 ppm
2015-07-150.500 ppm
2015-07-150.470 ppm
2015-07-150.447 ppm
2015-08-100.353 ppm
2015-08-100.381 ppm
2015-08-100.355 ppm
2015-08-100.375 ppm
2015-08-100.350 ppm
2015-08-100.345 ppm
2015-08-240.326 ppm
2015-08-240.326 ppm
2015-08-240.305 ppm
2015-08-240.295 ppm
2015-08-240.312 ppm
2015-08-240.307 ppm
2015-09-090.242 ppm
2015-09-090.264 ppm
2015-09-090.253 ppm
2015-09-090.258 ppm
2015-09-090.254 ppm
2015-09-090.250 ppm
2015-09-210.264 ppm
2015-09-210.242 ppm
2015-09-210.253 ppm
2015-09-210.242 ppm
2015-09-210.239 ppm
2015-09-210.238 ppm
2016-07-060.295 ppm
2016-07-060.510 ppm
2016-07-060.510 ppm
2016-07-060.541 ppm
2016-07-060.547 ppm
2016-07-060.0600 ppm
2016-07-060.500 ppm
2016-07-200.258 ppm
2016-07-200.464 ppm
2016-07-200.461 ppm
2016-07-200.490 ppm
2016-07-200.500 ppm
2016-07-200.0490 ppm
2016-07-200.451 ppm
2016-08-010.370 ppm
2016-08-010.384 ppm
2016-08-010.364 ppm
2016-08-010.363 ppm
2016-08-010.364 ppm
2016-08-010.364 ppm
2016-08-010.361 ppm
2016-08-170.280 ppm
2016-08-170.280 ppm
2016-08-170.278 ppm
2016-08-170.281 ppm
2016-08-170.276 ppm
2016-08-170.270 ppm
2016-09-140.200 ppm
2016-09-140.200 ppm
2016-09-140.199 ppm
2016-09-140.200 ppm
2016-09-140.200 ppm
2016-09-140.200 ppm
2016-09-140.197 ppm
2016-09-210.195 ppm
2016-09-210.194 ppm
2016-09-210.193 ppm
2016-09-210.193 ppm
2016-09-210.194 ppm
2016-09-210.194 ppm
2016-09-210.188 ppm
2017-07-100.664 ppm
2017-07-100.641 ppm
2017-07-100.650 ppm
2017-07-100.687 ppm
2017-07-100.652 ppm
2017-07-100.600 ppm
2017-07-100.664 ppm
2017-07-240.656 ppm
2017-07-240.624 ppm
2017-07-240.656 ppm
2017-07-240.657 ppm
2017-07-240.655 ppm
2017-07-240.651 ppm
2017-07-240.643 ppm
2017-08-090.518 ppm
2017-08-090.527 ppm
2017-08-090.514 ppm
2017-08-090.514 ppm
2017-08-090.514 ppm
2017-08-090.515 ppm
2017-08-090.510 ppm
2017-08-230.456 ppm
2017-08-230.419 ppm
2017-08-230.465 ppm
2017-08-230.466 ppm
2017-08-230.454 ppm
2017-08-230.451 ppm
2017-08-230.455 ppm
2017-09-060.391 ppm
2017-09-060.418 ppm
2017-09-060.349 ppm
2017-09-060.421 ppm
2017-09-060.421 ppm
2017-09-060.394 ppm
2017-09-060.410 ppm
2017-09-200.380 ppm
2017-09-200.385 ppm
2017-09-200.347 ppm
2017-09-200.366 ppm
2017-09-200.377 ppm
2017-09-200.377 ppm
2017-09-200.373 ppm
2018-07-090.543 ppm
2018-07-090.549 ppm
2018-07-090.540 ppm
2018-07-090.545 ppm
2018-07-090.550 ppm
2018-07-090.536 ppm
2018-07-090.534 ppm
2018-07-180.510 ppm
2018-07-180.518 ppm
2018-07-180.504 ppm
2018-07-180.514 ppm
2018-07-180.506 ppm
2018-07-180.501 ppm
2018-07-180.493 ppm
2018-08-080.414 ppm
2018-08-080.420 ppm
2018-08-080.413 ppm
2018-08-080.415 ppm
2018-08-080.412 ppm
2018-08-080.415 ppm
2018-08-080.398 ppm
2018-08-220.362 ppm
2018-08-220.362 ppm
2018-08-220.363 ppm
2018-08-220.364 ppm
2018-08-220.364 ppm
2018-08-220.355 ppm
2018-08-220.357 ppm
2018-09-050.340 ppm
2018-09-050.339 ppm
2018-09-050.332 ppm
2018-09-050.338 ppm
2018-09-050.343 ppm
2018-09-050.334 ppm
2018-09-050.333 ppm
2018-09-190.362 ppm
2018-09-190.367 ppm
2018-09-190.361 ppm
2018-09-190.373 ppm
2018-09-190.370 ppm
2018-09-190.367 ppm
2018-09-190.374 ppm
2019-07-080.518 ppm
2019-07-080.522 ppm
2019-07-080.518 ppm
2019-07-080.511 ppm
2019-07-080.514 ppm
2019-07-080.509 ppm
2019-07-080.508 ppm
2019-07-240.486 ppm
2019-07-240.484 ppm
2019-07-240.447 ppm
2019-07-240.512 ppm
2019-07-240.478 ppm
2019-07-240.487 ppm
2019-07-240.472 ppm
2019-08-050.434 ppm
2019-08-050.434 ppm
2019-08-050.431 ppm
2019-08-050.429 ppm
2019-08-050.429 ppm
2019-08-050.426 ppm
2019-08-050.426 ppm
2019-08-140.353 ppm
2019-08-140.412 ppm
2019-08-140.409 ppm
2019-08-140.410 ppm
2019-08-140.410 ppm
2019-08-140.406 ppm
2019-08-140.401 ppm
2019-09-090.336 ppm
2019-09-090.344 ppm
2019-09-090.335 ppm
2019-09-090.332 ppm
2019-09-090.331 ppm
2019-09-090.331 ppm
2019-09-090.326 ppm
2019-09-180.320 ppm
2019-09-180.319 ppm
2019-09-180.319 ppm
2019-09-180.316 ppm
2019-09-180.316 ppm
2019-09-180.316 ppm
2019-09-180.315 ppm