Nitrate

Brewster Water Department

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	0.198 ppm	5	3	ND - 0.660 ppm
2015	0.276 ppm	5	4	ND - 0.540 ppm
2016	0.172 ppm	5	4	ND - 0.340 ppm
2017	0.294 ppm	5	4	ND - 0.640 ppm
2018	0.620 ppm	5	3	ND - 1.10 ppm
2019	0.278 ppm	5	4	ND - 0.600 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
2014-03-11	0.140 ppm
2014-03-11	0.190 ppm
2014-03-11	ND
2014-03-11	ND
2014-03-11	0.660 ppm
2015-01-13	0.350 ppm
2015-01-13	ND
2015-01-13	0.180 ppm
2015-01-13	0.310 ppm
2015-01-13	0.540 ppm
2016-02-02	0.340 ppm
2016-02-02	ND
2016-02-02	0.150 ppm
2016-08-12	0.230 ppm
2016-08-12	0.140 ppm
2017-01-11	0.170 ppm
2017-01-11	ND
2017-01-11	0.360 ppm
2017-01-11	0.300 ppm
2017-01-11	0.640 ppm
2018-02-05	1.10 ppm
2018-02-05	ND
2018-02-05	ND
2018-02-05	1.000 ppm
2018-02-05	1.000 ppm
2019-01-28	0.600 ppm
2019-01-28	0.240 ppm
2019-01-28	0.210 ppm
2019-01-28	0.340 ppm
2019-01-28	ND