Nitrate
Westerville City PWS
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | N/A | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2014 | 0.508 ppm | 12 | 12 | 0.160 ppm - 1.55 ppm |
| 2015 | 0.604 ppm | 12 | 12 | 0.270 ppm - 1.30 ppm |
| 2016 | 0.673 ppm | 12 | 12 | 0.150 ppm - 1.12 ppm |
| 2017 | 0.771 ppm | 12 | 12 | 0.290 ppm - 1.36 ppm |
| 2018 | 0.842 ppm | 12 | 11 | ND - 1.28 ppm |
| 2019 | 1.11 ppm | 9 | 9 | 0.769 ppm - 1.64 ppm |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-01-16 | A140170214 | 0.480 ppm |
| 2014-02-13 | A140155545 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2014-03-13 | A140182761 | 0.500 ppm |
| 2014-04-09 | A140194812 | 0.350 ppm |
| 2014-05-08 | A140194813 | 0.430 ppm |
| 2014-06-04 | A140204655 | 0.660 ppm |
| 2014-07-02 | A140204656 | 1.55 ppm |
| 2014-08-06 | A140202063 | 0.410 ppm |
| 2014-09-03 | A140158507 | 0.300 ppm |
| 2014-10-01 | A140236733 | 0.160 ppm |
| 2014-11-05 | A140242228 | 0.260 ppm |
| 2014-12-03 | A140250974 | 0.240 ppm |
| 2015-01-14 | A150258972 | 0.270 ppm |
| 2015-02-04 | A150265422 | 0.280 ppm |
| 2015-03-04 | A150273681 | 0.580 ppm |
| 2015-04-01 | A150273952 | 0.670 ppm |
| 2015-05-06 | A150282353 | 0.570 ppm |
| 2015-06-03 | A150291611 | 0.930 ppm |
| 2015-07-01 | A150299919 | 1.30 ppm |
| 2015-08-05 | A150303691 | 0.600 ppm |
| 2015-09-02 | A150282355 | 0.520 ppm |
| 2015-10-07 | A150328131 | 0.310 ppm |
| 2015-11-04 | A150335180 | 0.580 ppm |
| 2015-12-02 | A150345063 | 0.640 ppm |
| 2016-01-06 | A160350368 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2016-02-03 | A160321913 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2016-03-02 | A160368624 | 0.150 ppm |
| 2016-04-06 | A160321890 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2016-05-04 | A160391938 | 1.12 ppm |
| 2016-06-01 | A160223436 | 0.860 ppm |
| 2016-07-06 | A160405671 | 0.850 ppm |
| 2016-08-03 | A160424135 | 0.670 ppm |
| 2016-09-07 | A160361219 | 0.480 ppm |
| 2016-10-05 | A160361222 | 0.570 ppm |
| 2016-11-02 | A160444687 | 0.540 ppm |
| 2016-12-07 | A160449041 | 0.400 ppm |
| 2017-01-04 | A170444672 | 0.540 ppm |
| 2017-02-01 | A170460695 | 0.890 ppm |
| 2017-03-01 | A170471220 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2017-04-05 | A170480195 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2017-05-03 | A170492517 | 0.950 ppm |
| 2017-06-07 | A170497724 | 1.06 ppm |
| 2017-07-05 | A170503956 | 1.36 ppm |
| 2017-08-02 | A170515602 | 0.770 ppm |
| 2017-09-06 | A170460698 | 0.480 ppm |
| 2017-10-04 | A170534714 | 0.290 ppm |
| 2017-11-01 | A170545275 | 0.620 ppm |
| 2017-12-06 | A170554598 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2018-01-03 | A180557487 | 0.760 ppm |
| 2018-02-07 | A180564716 | 1.11 ppm |
| 2018-03-07 | A180565326 | 1.28 ppm |
| 2018-04-04 | A180565327 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2018-05-02 | A180574715 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2018-06-06 | A180592780 | 1.15 ppm |
| 2018-07-30 | A180608545 | 1.20 ppm |
| 2018-08-01 | A180608548 | 0.900 ppm |
| 2018-09-05 | A180608217 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2018-10-03 | A180640615 | ND |
| 2018-11-07 | 8K00795-01 | 0.552 ppm |
| 2018-12-05 | 8L00417-01 | 0.749 ppm |
| 2019-01-02 | 9A00128-01 | 0.796 ppm |
| 2019-02-06 | 9B00532-01 | 0.923 ppm |
| 2019-03-06 | 9C00551-01 | 1.30 ppm |
| 2019-04-03 | 9D00391-01 | 0.769 ppm |
| 2019-05-01 | 9E00076-01 | 1.33 ppm |
| 2019-06-05 | 9F00589-01 | 1.27 ppm |
| 2019-07-03 | 9G00729-01 | 1.64 ppm |
| 2019-08-07 | 9H01056-01 | 1.02 ppm |
| 2019-09-04 | 9I00479-01 | 0.969 ppm |