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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Nitrate

Michigan State University

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

 

59

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2014ND90ND
2015N/A00N/A
2016N/A00N/A
2017N/A00N/A
2018ND340ND
2019ND160ND

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
2014-08-21LLF34202ND
2014-09-30LLF41171ND
2014-09-30LLF41172ND
2014-09-30LLF41173ND
2014-09-30LLF41174ND
2014-10-23LLF44199ND
2014-10-23LLF44291ND
2014-10-23LLF44290ND
2014-10-23LLF44292ND
2018-02-28LLH68120ND
2018-02-28LLH68124ND
2018-02-28LLH68118ND
2018-02-28LLH68122ND
2018-02-28LLH68123ND
2018-02-28LLH68121ND
2018-02-28LLH68115ND
2018-02-28LLH68117ND
2018-02-28LLH68112ND
2018-02-28LLH68113ND
2018-02-28LLH68114ND
2018-02-28LLH68116ND
2018-04-26LLH77525ND
2018-04-27LLH77589ND
2018-04-27LLH77588ND
2018-04-27LLH77587ND
2018-04-27LLH77586ND
2018-04-27LLH77592ND
2018-04-27LLH77590ND
2018-04-27LLH77591ND
2018-05-02LLH78371ND
2018-05-02LLH78370ND
2018-05-02LLH78369ND
2018-05-02LLH78373ND
2018-05-02LLH78372ND
2018-05-09LLH79533ND
2018-05-09LLH79534ND
2018-05-17LLH81099ND
2018-05-17LLH81098ND
2018-05-23LLH81944ND
2018-05-23LLH81945ND
2018-05-23LLH81943ND
2018-07-19LLH94101ND
2018-10-23LLI12548ND
2019-03-07LLI28373ND
2019-03-07LLI28370ND
2019-03-07LLI28372ND
2019-03-07LLI28371ND
2019-03-07LLI28374ND
2019-03-20LLI30028ND
2019-03-20LLI30025ND
2019-03-20LLI30026ND
2019-03-20LLI30027ND
2019-04-03LLI31915ND
2019-04-09LLI32593ND
2019-04-09LLI32595ND
2019-04-09LLI32594ND
2019-04-22LLI34141ND
2019-04-22LLI34142ND
2019-04-22LLI34143ND