Nitrate
Pahrump Utility Company Inc.
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.
Samples
Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)
Samples exceeding
health guidelines
Testing results - average by year
| Year | Average result | Samples taken | Detections | Range of results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 0.334 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.217 ppm - 0.509 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.307 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.203 ppm - 0.502 ppm |
| 2020 | 0.334 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.244 ppm - 0.485 ppm |
| 2021 | 0.339 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.256 ppm - 0.427 ppm |
| 2022 | 0.307 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.261 ppm - 0.360 ppm |
| 2023 | 0.264 ppm | 5 | 5 | 0.201 ppm - 0.366 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-08-15 | 18080770-01 | 0.248 ppm |
| 2018-08-15 | 18080786-01 | 0.293 ppm |
| 2018-08-22 | 18081132-01 | 0.509 ppm |
| 2018-08-22 | 18081135-01 | 0.401 ppm |
| 2018-08-29 | 18081451-01 | 0.217 ppm |
| 2019-06-11 | 19060609-01 | 0.251 ppm |
| 2019-06-11 | 19060604-01 | 0.203 ppm |
| 2019-06-11 | 19060598-01 | 0.204 ppm |
| 2019-06-19 | 19061106-01 | 0.377 ppm |
| 2019-06-19 | 19061103-01 | 0.502 ppm |
| 2020-06-10 | 20060615-01 | 0.485 ppm |
| 2020-06-10 | 20060618-01 | 0.380 ppm |
| 2020-06-10 | 20060619-01 | 0.244 ppm |
| 2020-06-10 | 20060620-01 | 0.256 ppm |
| 2020-06-10 | 20060633-01 | 0.305 ppm |
| 2021-04-08 | 21040438-02 | 0.323 ppm |
| 2021-06-15 | 21060800-01 | 0.348 ppm |
| 2021-06-15 | 21060805-01A | 0.427 ppm |
| 2021-06-15 | 21060802-01 | 0.256 ppm |
| 2021-06-15 | 21060801-01 | 0.340 ppm |
| 2022-09-21 | 22090942-01 | 0.360 ppm |
| 2022-09-21 | 22090944-01 | 0.330 ppm |
| 2022-09-21 | 22090951-01 | 0.262 ppm |
| 2022-09-21 | 22090952-01 | 0.261 ppm |
| 2022-09-21 | 22090953-01 | 0.323 ppm |
| 2023-05-25 | 23051339-01 | 0.201 ppm |
| 2023-05-25 | 23051341-01 | 0.286 ppm |
| 2023-05-25 | 23051342-01 | 0.366 ppm |
| 2023-06-21 | 23061017-01 | 0.260 ppm |
| 2023-06-21 | 23061018-01 | 0.207 ppm |