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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Nitrate

Naval Support Facility, Indian Head

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

 

21

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20140.0250 ppm41ND - 0.1000 ppm
2015ND40ND
2016ND50ND
2017ND40ND
2018ND40ND
2019N/A00N/A

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
2014-05-28140528_07_200929ND
2014-05-28140528_08_200929ND
2014-05-28140528_09_200929ND
2014-05-28140528_02_2009290.1000 ppm
2015-04-1320573-0000010ND
2015-04-1320573-000008ND
2015-04-1320573-000009ND
2015-04-1320573-0000011ND
2016-03-222132122002ND
2016-03-222132122005ND
2016-03-222132122004ND
2016-03-222132122001ND
2016-03-222132122003ND
2017-04-062221203002ND
2017-04-062221203001ND
2017-04-062221203003ND
2017-06-072236673001ND
2018-06-292323966005ND
2018-06-292323966003ND
2018-06-29232396604ND
2018-06-292323966006ND