Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Nitrate

Ely Municipal 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.

 

53

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

53

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20182.50 ppm14140.380 ppm - 4.80 ppm
20192.56 ppm880.540 ppm - 5.00 ppm
20202.49 ppm10100.450 ppm - 4.40 ppm
20212.05 ppm990.410 ppm - 3.80 ppm
20222.04 ppm660.340 ppm - 3.90 ppm
20231.70 ppm660.390 ppm - 4.30 ppm

ppm = parts per million

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 0.14 ppm

The EWG health guideline of 0.14 parts per million, or ppm, for nitrate and nitrite is based on the equivalent health guideline for nitrate, as defined in a peer-reviewed scientific study by EWG. This guideline represents a one-in-one-million annual cancer risk level.

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
2018-03-211803680-0013.60 ppm
2018-03-281803849-0013.60 ppm
2018-05-101805390-0013.70 ppm
2018-07-191807658-0034.40 ppm
2018-09-2618090838-0014.70 ppm
2018-10-1118100451-0024.80 ppm
2018-10-1118100451-0011.20 ppm
2018-11-0818110223-0011.30 ppm
2018-11-0818110223-0060.540 ppm
2018-11-0818110223-0050.450 ppm
2018-11-0818110223-0040.380 ppm
2018-11-0818110223-0030.570 ppm
2018-11-0818110223-0021.30 ppm
2018-11-0818110223-0074.50 ppm
2019-02-2519020556-0023.90 ppm
2019-04-2419040781-0023.80 ppm
2019-08-0819080317-0033.60 ppm
2019-11-1419110404-0045.00 ppm
2019-11-1419110404-0050.540 ppm
2019-11-1419110404-0031.30 ppm
2019-11-1419110404-0021.000 ppm
2019-11-2119110631-0011.30 ppm
2020-03-1220030452-0014.40 ppm
2020-04-3020040845-0011.30 ppm
2020-06-1820060635-0023.90 ppm
2020-06-1820060635-0013.50 ppm
2020-08-2720080935-0021.80 ppm
2020-08-2720080935-0033.60 ppm
2020-09-1020090382-0022.20 ppm
2020-09-1020090382-0010.450 ppm
2020-10-0820100301-0023.20 ppm
2020-10-0820100301-0010.590 ppm
2021-03-2521030759-0013.80 ppm
2021-06-2421060866-0013.10 ppm
2021-09-3021091038-0013.20 ppm
2021-11-0421110195-0011.10 ppm
2021-11-0421110195-0021.40 ppm
2021-11-0421110195-0030.410 ppm
2021-12-0921120341-0030.610 ppm
2021-12-0921120341-0011.30 ppm
2021-12-0921120341-0023.50 ppm
2022-03-1022030372-0013.20 ppm
2022-05-1222050451-0023.90 ppm
2022-05-1222050451-0010.690 ppm
2022-07-0722070169-0041.80 ppm
2022-07-0722070169-0032.30 ppm
2022-07-0722070169-0020.340 ppm
2023-05-1023050343-0014.30 ppm
2023-05-1023050343-0020.620 ppm
2023-05-1023050343-0030.390 ppm
2023-05-1023050343-0041.30 ppm
2023-11-0823110200-0010.980 ppm
2023-11-0823110200-0042.60 ppm