Nitrate and nitrite
Big Bend Water District
Nitrate and nitrite enter water from fertilizer runoff, septic tanks and urban runoff. These contaminants can cause oxygen deprivation for infants and increase the risk of cancer. Nitrite is significantly more toxic than nitrate. Click here to read more about nitrate.
94
Samples
0
Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)
94
Samples exceeding
health guidelines
Testing results - average by year
| Year | Average result | Samples taken | Detections | Range of results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 0.358 ppm | 12 | 12 | 0.280 ppm - 0.420 ppm |
| 2015 | 0.376 ppm | 12 | 12 | 0.300 ppm - 0.460 ppm |
| 2016 | 0.396 ppm | 21 | 21 | 0.307 ppm - 0.500 ppm |
| 2017 | 0.385 ppm | 25 | 25 | 0.252 ppm - 0.496 ppm |
| 2018 | 0.375 ppm | 13 | 13 | 0.297 ppm - 0.450 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.383 ppm | 11 | 11 | 0.299 ppm - 0.444 ppm |
ppm = parts per million
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EWG Health Guideline 0.14 ppm
The 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
ppm = parts per million
All test results
| Date | Lab ID | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-01-14 | 14010204-001 | 0.330 ppm |
| 2014-02-11 | 14020148-001 | 0.400 ppm |
| 2014-03-11 | 14030144-001 | 0.420 ppm |
| 2014-04-08 | 14040111-001 | 0.400 ppm |
| 2014-05-06 | 14050090-001 | 0.370 ppm |
| 2014-06-03 | 14060028-001 | 0.370 ppm |
| 2014-07-01 | 14060585-001 | 0.380 ppm |
| 2014-08-12 | 14080162-001 | 0.370 ppm |
| 2014-09-09 | 14090126-001 | 0.370 ppm |
| 2014-10-07 | 14100106-001 | 0.310 ppm |
| 2014-11-04 | 14110045-001 | 0.300 ppm |
| 2014-12-02 | 14120020-001 | 0.280 ppm |
| 2015-01-13 | 15010168-001 | 0.340 ppm |
| 2015-02-10 | 15020136-001 | 0.440 ppm |
| 2015-03-10 | 15030084-001 | 0.460 ppm |
| 2015-04-07 | 15040094-001 | 0.430 ppm |
| 2015-05-05 | 15050015-001 | 0.390 ppm |
| 2015-06-02 | 15060011-001 | 0.390 ppm |
| 2015-07-14 | 15070255-001 | 0.380 ppm |
| 2015-08-11 | 15080178-001 | 0.360 ppm |
| 2015-09-08 | 15090039-001 | 0.360 ppm |
| 2015-10-06 | 15100055-001 | 0.350 ppm |
| 2015-11-03 | 15110018-001 | 0.310 ppm |
| 2015-12-01 | 15110479-001 | 0.300 ppm |
| 2016-01-12 | 16010138-001 | 0.400 ppm |
| 2016-02-09 | 16020146-001 | 0.500 ppm |
| 2016-03-08 | 16030106-001 | 0.500 ppm |
| 2016-04-05 | 16040060-001 | 0.480 ppm |
| 2016-05-03 | S1600958002 | 0.409 ppm |
| 2016-05-03 | S1601559001 | 0.409 ppm |
| 2016-05-03 | 16050005-001 | 0.440 ppm |
| 2016-05-03 | S1600958001 | 0.439 ppm |
| 2016-06-14 | S1601574001 | 0.457 ppm |
| 2016-07-12 | S1602352001 | 0.409 ppm |
| 2016-07-12 | S1602352002 | 0.381 ppm |
| 2016-08-09 | S1603178002 | 0.384 ppm |
| 2016-08-09 | S1603178001 | 0.403 ppm |
| 2016-09-06 | S1604066002 | 0.348 ppm |
| 2016-09-06 | S1604066001 | 0.386 ppm |
| 2016-10-04 | S1604718002 | 0.307 ppm |
| 2016-10-04 | S1604718001 | 0.354 ppm |
| 2016-11-01 | S1605343002 | 0.309 ppm |
| 2016-11-01 | S1605343001 | 0.351 ppm |
| 2016-12-13 | S1606023001 | 0.347 ppm |
| 2016-12-13 | S1606023002 | 0.310 ppm |
| 2017-01-10 | S166677001 | 0.402 ppm |
| 2017-01-10 | S1606677001 | 0.402 ppm |
| 2017-01-10 | S1606677002 | 0.380 ppm |
| 2017-02-07 | S1700141002 | 0.406 ppm |
| 2017-02-07 | S1700141001 | 0.422 ppm |
| 2017-03-07 | S1701096002 | 0.430 ppm |
| 2017-03-07 | S1701096001 | 0.449 ppm |
| 2017-04-04 | S1701670002 | 0.476 ppm |
| 2017-04-04 | S1701670001 | 0.496 ppm |
| 2017-05-03 | S1703013001 | 0.418 ppm |
| 2017-05-03 | S1703013002 | 0.409 ppm |
| 2017-06-13 | S1703071001 | 0.427 ppm |
| 2017-06-13 | S1703071002 | 0.405 ppm |
| 2017-07-11 | S1704152002 | 0.387 ppm |
| 2017-07-11 | S1704152001 | 0.410 ppm |
| 2017-08-07 | S1704746002 | 0.390 ppm |
| 2017-08-07 | S1704746001 | 0.408 ppm |
| 2017-09-06 | S1705572002 | 0.383 ppm |
| 2017-09-06 | S1705572001 | 0.401 ppm |
| 2017-10-03 | S1706323002 | 0.252 ppm |
| 2017-10-03 | S1706323001 | 0.276 ppm |
| 2017-11-01 | S1707072002 | 0.255 ppm |
| 2017-11-01 | S1707072001 | 0.278 ppm |
| 2017-12-12 | S1707755002 | 0.321 ppm |
| 2017-12-12 | S1707755001 | 0.352 ppm |
| 2018-01-09 | S1800399001 | 0.374 ppm |
| 2018-02-06 | S1800457001 | 0.421 ppm |
| 2018-03-05 | S1801599001 | 0.450 ppm |
| 2018-04-10 | S1801596001 | 0.405 ppm |
| 2018-05-01 | S1802946001 | 0.396 ppm |
| 2018-06-12 | S1802972001 | 0.384 ppm |
| 2018-07-19 | S1803665001 | 0.367 ppm |
| 2018-08-16 | S1804478001 | 0.377 ppm |
| 2018-09-13 | S1805303001 | 0.379 ppm |
| 2018-10-11 | S1806073001 | 0.375 ppm |
| 2018-11-06 | S1806871001 | 0.297 ppm |
| 2018-11-13 | S1807816001 | 0.297 ppm |
| 2018-12-06 | S1807814001 | 0.351 ppm |
| 2019-02-26 | S1809700001 | 0.444 ppm |
| 2019-03-26 | S1900139001 | 0.431 ppm |
| 2019-04-11 | S1904699001 | 0.420 ppm |
| 2019-05-08 | S1907967001 | 0.412 ppm |
| 2019-06-05 | S1912657001 | 0.421 ppm |
| 2019-07-31 | S1921465001 | 0.412 ppm |
| 2019-08-28 | S1925181001 | 0.397 ppm |
| 2019-09-26 | S1938469001 | 0.333 ppm |
| 2019-10-15 | S1949831001 | 0.308 ppm |
| 2019-11-18 | S1957933001 | 0.299 ppm |
| 2019-12-17 | S1968638001 | 0.338 ppm |